CNN Employs
Global Resources for Fifth Anniversary Coverage of
War in Iraq
AC360’s ‘Shock and Awe’ Special on March 19
Provides In-depth Retrospective, Present-Day Impact
of War
CNN Worldwide marks the
fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq with a global
cross-platform initiative focusing on the war’s
impact upon politics, the military, the economy and
humanitarian situation in both Iraq and the United
States. For its coverage, CNN draws upon its
unrivalled resources and experience garnered from
more than 18 years of coverage in region as one of
the only international broadcasters to have had a
permanent bureau in Iraq since 1990.
CNN’s coverage spans across its programming with
special reports airing on Anderson Cooper 360º, the
Situation Room and American Morning and on CNN
International and CNN.com.
“Shock and Awe: Five Years Later,” an Anderson Cooper
360º special, will be broadcast around the world to
more than 310 million households on both CNN/U.S. and
CNN International on Wednesday, March 19, at 11 p.m.
(ET) This in-depth hour offers retrospective
dispatches from those who have covered the war for
the past five years, including such CNN journalists
as chief international correspondent Christiane
Amanpour, senior political correspondent Candy
Crowley, senior international correspondent Nic
Robertson, national correspondent Gary Tuchman and
Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware
and contributors including Ret. Gen. David Grange.
For the special, newsmakers including Hans Blix and
Ari Fleischer relate to CNN their experiences in the
development of the war beginning with the role of
weapons of mass destruction, the coalition’s “shock
and awe” bombing raids, the capture of Saddam Hussein
and continuing battles across Iraq. The special will
also explore the connection of the war to the
upcoming U.S. elections and other political impacts.
Also for the anniversary coverage, chief national
correspondent John King reports from the Middle East
as he travels with Vice President Dick Cheney for a
10-day trip that includes visits to Oman, Saudi
Arabia, Israel, the Palestinian territories and
Turkey.
Throughout the coverage, CNN’s Baghdad- and U.S-based
correspondents will provide live and in-depth
packages examining the war’s impact on the U.S. and
Iraqi economies, including the credit crunch and
deficit; the fledgling Iraqi fashion industry; the
mounting toll of missing people in Iraq, estimated to
be 70,000 since the war began; and the estimated
20,000 foreigners fighting for the U.S army in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
American Morning on Wednesday, March 19, considers
whether expenses for the war drains the economy and
contributes to recession or actually pumps up the
economy with the infusion of money spent on the war
effort. American Morning airs each weekday on
CNN/U.S. from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. (ET)
For the Situation Room, anchor Wolf Blitzer and his
team will examine the war from all angles.
Correspondents will report on the cost to prosecute
the war and rebuild Iraq, troop morale, the fate of
Iraqi refugees and strategies for fighting
insurgents. The Situation Room airs each weekday from
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (ET)