Steven Vincent, RIP

It is with sadness we read about the murder of Steven Vincent in Iraq. He was on the Northern Alliance Radio Network a couple of times, I read his book "In the Red Zone: A Journey Into the Soul of Iraq" and he impressed me as the most dedicated and talented journalist I've ever encountered.

A liberal by orientation, his personal witness to the 9/11 attacks in lower Manhattan woke him to the realities of the war we are in and to the enemies who seek to bring death and destruction to us all. At that moment, Vincent decided to make it his personal responsibility to do all he could to see that his country prevailed in this conflict. Being too old to enlist in the armed forces, he decided to use his talent and training as a writer and take them to the dark heart of the war on terror, Iraq. He immersed himself in the culture, without protection from the military or the resources of any news organization, usually traveling alone or with a hired interpreter. His only protection were his own wits - and the gun he carried with him.

These methods, while dangerous, did allow him the access to stories and revelations entirely unknown to your average media reporter holed up (getting manicures, singing karaoke) in the Green Zone. The Red Zone, a term coined by Vincent and used in the title of his book, referred to all of Iraq outside of those relatively friendly confines. That is where he knew he was needed most, that is where he labored to tell the truth, and that is where he perished.

The circumstances of his death are, not surprisingly, somewhat murky. Early indications are that his murderers were not motivated by ideology or even terroristic impulses. Instead, Vincent's reporting on the corruption of government officials and protection rackets around Basra may have caused certain people to want him silenced. We will, of course, follow the investigation as it proceeds.

But for now, we mourn the loss of this great journalist. Smart, dedicated, full of integrity, a terrific writer, and above all, one brave SOB. He was one of America's best and brightest and I suspect his work in documenting the true story of what's happening over there (in such diverse outlets at the New York Times, National Review, Christian Science Monitor) will not be forgotten by history.

If you've got some time, read through the archives of Vincent's blog, In the Red Zone. It's full of his fearless, honest, compelling prose. Excerpt:

It was a moment I wish every muddle-headed college kid and Western-civilization-hating leftist could have witnessed: an Air Force Captain quoting chapter and verse from the new American Gospel of Multiculturalism, only to have a flesh and blood representative of "the Other" declare that he was incorrect, that discriminations and judgment between cultures are possible--necessary--especially when it comes to the absolutely unacceptable way Middle Eastern Arabs treat women. And though Layla would not have pushed the point this far, I couldn't resist. "You know, Captain," I said, "sometimes American values are just--better."

Steven Vincent, rest in peace.

For more details on commentary on the implications of his death, see the always brilliant Belmont Club.

Also, a compilation of his reports from Iraq for National Review.