BOB WOODRUFF

[UniverseSeven]

Last week, Woodruff spent three days in Israel reporting on the Palestinian elections. He was to have been in Iraq through Tuesday, according to ABC.

english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/45F48359-B348-408B-BA9D-6AD438CC5ACF.htm


ABC's Bob Woodruff Reluctant to Label Hamas a Terrorist Group
Posted by Brad Wilmouth on January 26, 2006 - 00:42.
newsbusters.org/node/3755


Unlike CBS and NBC, ABC Again Refuses to Label Hamas as “Terrorist”
Posted by Brent Baker on January 27, 2006 - 00:04.
newsbusters.org/node/3770


ABC News' Bob Woodruff and Cameraman in Stable Condition After Iraq Attack

Jan. 29, 2006 — "World News Tonight" co-anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman, Doug Vogt are both out of surgery and in stable condition following surgery after being seriously injured when their convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device in Iraq today.

abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1553996


Martha Raddatz on Bob Woodruff
World News Tonight' Co-Anchor and Cameraman Slammed by IED While With Iraqi Troops

Jan. 29, 2006 — This morning, senior White House correspondent Martha Raddatz briefed George Stephanopoulos on what happened to "World News Tonight" co-anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt in Iraq earlier today.

RADDATZ: Bob and Doug were in a convoy, and they were with U.S. military as well from the 4th Infantry Division, but they were with Iraqi security forces. As you know, the U.S. military is training Iraqi security forces. Bob and Doug were apparently with the 4th Infantry Division in an up-armored humvee and wanted instead to go in a vehicle with the Iraqi military forces.

abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/story?id=1554171

[jonnygemini]

Iraqi Troops Are 'Soft Targets'
The U.S. military said it was conducting an investigation into the attack. The White House released a statement extending its condolences to Woodruff and Vogt.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Woodruff and Mr. Vogt. We are praying for their full and speedy recovery," the statement said. "Our thoughts are with their families and their loved ones.The White House is offering to help in any way as the government does when any American is injured in the line of work."

Woodruff and his crew had been traveling in a U.S. armored humvee, but then transferred into an Iraqi vehicle -- which was believed to be a much softer target for attacks.

"It was a mechanized vehicle," Raddatz said. "At least it wasn't one of the pickup trucks they usually drive around in. They were in the lead vehicle, and they were up in the hatch, so they were exposed."

Raddatz said both Woodruff and Vogt were protected. They were wearing body armor, helmets and ballistic glasses. Woodruff and Vogt were taken by medevac to the Green Zone to receive treatment. They were then flown by helicopter to Balad which is about a 20-minute ride from Baghdad, said Raddatz.

"There are very good doctors, the best medical care you can possibly get, in Balad," said Raddatz.

Training Iraq forces to deter insurgent attacks has become one of the central focuses of U.S. strategy toward ultimate troop reduction and withdrawl. Because of this, it is impossible for journalists to truly cover the conflict in Iraq without traveling with the Iraqi troops. Iraqi security forces, Raddatz said, are a softer target for insurgents but they are still targets. "It's become a primary target. It's a softer target, as you know,but it is a primary target to attack these forces," Raddatz said. "There have been hundreds and hundreds -- thousands, probably -- of Iraqi security forces killed. Sometimes they're attacked by suicide bombers, but they have become a primary target. It is very dangerous business training these troops, for that reason alone."

But Woodruff and Vogt knew this and were very careful.

"I have worked with Doug Vogt so many times. He is no hot dog. Bob Woodruff would not take risks that were -- without his body armor or anything else. They are both very careful. Doug, as a matter of fact, when he was with Terry Moran a few months ago, they hit a very small IED, and one of the Iraqi forces was killed. Doug was also in that convoy, but he was in an armored humvee at that time."

didn't X's thing used to be "here hold this", if you sign up for Iraqi security force out of desperation or whatever...thats it...assassination, IEDs, US military...here hold this

[jonnygemini]

Video Shows Moments Before Insurgent Attack That Injured Woodruff, Vogt
Tapes Go to Black as IED Explodes; Cameras Likely Disabled By Force of Blast

Feb. 3, 2006 — - ABC News has now seen the videotapes made by "World News Tonight" co-anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt that captured the moments before the insurgent attack on their patrol. The tapes show their reporting on the efforts of the Iraqi forces to secure their country.

Shortly before the attack, Woodruff and Vogt were riding in an Iraqi armored vehicle with two video cameras -- one in Vogt's hands, the other attached to the front of the vehicle. They were riding through the Al Mushada neighborhood, north of Baghdad.

Woodruff stood in one of the rear hatches, with his legs inside the vehicle. Vogt sat on the ledge of a hatch.

Both wore protective gear -- helmets and body armor.

Shortly before the attack, Woodruff shot a stand-up, in which a reporter talks to the camera.

"We're on patrol with the Iraqi 9th Division," Woodruff said to the camera. "There's only one mechanized division in the entire Iraqi Army. They say the insurgents are particularly afraid of this group, and they patrol up and down the main corridor north of Baghdad."

Woodruff and Vogt were reporting on Iraqi troops that day because they wanted to gauge their readiness and battle worthiness -- a key factor that will dictate how soon U.S. troops will be allowed to come home.

Earlier that same day, Woodruff interviewed an Iraqi colonel in charge of guarding a water-treatment plant that U.S. forces had previously protected.

Hours later, they took off on the fateful patrol. In the seconds just before the blast, Vogt was shooting pictures of an Iraqi soldier.

The last thing seen on the first tape is the camera panning down and the picture turning black. On the other camera, the last image is of tape glitches, and then black.

It is likely the force of the blast disabled both cameras.

Nothing else can be seen or heard on either tape.

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