Stars and Stripes Embed Booted by Army

MOSUL, Iraq -- The U.S. Army barred a Stars and Stripes reporter from embedding with a unit in Iraq, saying the reporter "refused to highlight" success stories from Mosul.

Officials said reporter Heath Druzin won't be allowed to join 1st Cavalry's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team for a reporting tour because, among other things, a March story in which he reported many Mosul residents would like U.S. soldiers to leave and turn over security tasks to Iraqi forces, Stars and Stripes reported Wednesday. The 1st Cavalry unit is attempting to secure the city.

"Despite the opportunity to visit areas of the city where Iraqi Army leaders, soldiers, national police and Iraqi police displayed commitment to partnership, Mr. Druzin refused to highlight any of this news," Major Ramona Bellard, a public affairs officer, wrote in denying Druzin's embed request to join the unit he traveled with earlier this year.

Terry Leonard, Stars and Stripes editorial director, said Druzin's reporting in Mosul had been accurate and fair and denied the Army's allegations.

Leonard said he rejected alternatives of embedding Druzin with another unit or allowing a different reporter to embed with the 3rd Brigade, saying the military doesn't have the right deflect coverage away from Mosul or choose which Stars and Stripes reporters will be allowed to cover its operations, the newspaper said.

Although the Stars and Stripes receives some federal funding through the Pentagon to offset costs of distributing the newspaper to U.S. troops in war zones, Leonard said the newspaper's reporting is not subject to Pentagon authority.