“My goal is to contribute to the understanding of a country that remains largely unknown to international public opinion – not least because it is no longer possible to report on Iraq, and in particular, to report independently. None of the sides participating in the armed conflict want witnesses, so all of Iraqi civil society is forced into isolation. An entire population is held hostage by belligerents. For anyone who has been a hostage, it is doubly frustrating.” –- Guiliana Sgrena, from the introduction to her book, Friendly Fire.