Our April 30 WITWIGO (What in the World Is Going On?) featured Tony Perry, L.A. Times Bureau Chief for San Diego.

Tony leaves soon for his fifth trip to Iraq since the invasion, embedded with U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton in al-Anbar Province. He reports that more service men and women from Camp Pendleton have been killed, wounded, or become amputees than from any other base nationwide. Perry notes high re-enlistment (if they re-up while in Iraq, the money is tax free). His photos showed soldiers in many situations–interacting with Iraqis, on foot patrol in the heat in 100-pound gear, and crouched behind buildings checking for snipers. When they catch a bomber, since there are no courts or judges in the area, the prisoner must be taken to Baghdad where the situation is dangerous and chaotic. He's interviewed sheiks, the men who hold much of the real power locally. The Times sees reporting from the ground in Iraq as an important commitment. After his talk, he took questions–a full, powerful, informative two hours.