Dexter Filkins on reporting from Iraq

Dexter Filkins talks to readers of the New York Times about working as a war correspondent in Iraq. It’s a lengthy Q&A, but it’s worth a look for his take on working in a war zone,

Q: What would be your advice for young journalists who want to cover this conflict as you have done? — Posted by Sarah

A: Sarah: To a reporter who hasn’t been here, I’d say this: I covered a fair amount of war before I got here, and I’d never encountered anything remotely like the war in Iraq — ­the scale, size, the level of violence, the sheer depravity of it. For me, staying alive, and even working, was a constant act of improvisation. So, to a person who wanted to come out here, I’d say: be very careful. link