"In Harm's Way" by Martin Bell [7]

Chapter 5: Staying Alive

Another chapter full of interesting and colorful anecdotes regarding the art of craft of war reporting, specifically from Bosnia. Of interest to anyone who actually reads this very well-written book, but not so much in terms of this blog.

At the risk of seeming petty, allow me to share one observation: Bell's friend "Lew" MacKenzie comes up once; Bell and his crew were invited along with the General to witness his meeting with the Serb forces. This was a good scoop for Bell, and the only price was framed thusly:

"The quid pro quo for this was that I would not show him having lunch with them--a sensitive issue in starving Sarajevo."

It is perhaps unfair and snide of me to point that out; I must admit that if the UN official in question were someone other than Lewis MacKenzie I might very well have let that observation alone. But there it is.