AP reporters Jack Brook and Julie Watson were key in bringing the bigger story behind the attack to life. They share:
Several of the first soldiers we spoke with said early on that there remained a lot to the story that had not been publicly reported. From hearing accounts of soldiers who were part of intelligence briefings, we learned that red flags were being raised consistently up the chain of command for weeks prior to the relocation to the port and right up to the morning of the attack.
For several of the soldiers, Jack cold-called them and we just started talking. Sometimes, just getting someone on the line and showing that you know details about their story leaves people open to keep talking. When we approached soldiers, we let them know that we wanted to hear about their experience in an open-ended manner. We also asked them what they felt the public needed to know. That gave them control to speak about what mattered to them.
These are individuals who have gone through an incredibly traumatic experience and in most cases were still recovering from the physical and emotional toll of the attack. We had to build trust with soldiers who were wary of speaking publicly. This often involved an initial off the record or “background” conversation to build trust and understanding before they were willing to use their name and go “on the record.” Most of the families did not respond to our initial outreach or declined to talk with us at first.
As we got closer to publishing our reporting, some of the families decided they wanted to be part of the story and have their voice heard...One widow, Tina Marzan, told us that she was nervous to do an interview but that the AP had “a good reputation” and so was willing to trust us. One thing we made clear to sources like Mrs. Marzan is that we were focused on conveying their experiences and feelings as part of a fact-driven article not in service of any political agenda.
The story of Port Shuaiba didn’t end with the strike. Some of the soldiers wounded in the attack experienced delays in much-needed care in the days and weeks afterwards. Survivors with serious head injuries and shrapnel wounds found themselves sent back to Army barracks rather than admitted for inpatient care.
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