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U.S. Marines Raid the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad: We Go to the Iraqi Capital to Speak with a Reporter Inside the Hotel

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US Marines raided the Palestine Hotel yesterday morning. That is where foreign journalists are staying, and is also where the US has set up a temporary operations base.

Marines kicked down doors, rousing journalists from their beds and pointing M-16s in their faces, according to the Associated Press.

Marines were seen guarding suspects in a hall and interrogating a man who said he is a cameraman.

Marines press officer Sgt José Guillen said the Marines were checking the hotel to ensure it was “100% safe.”

Yesterday I talked to Ezzedine Said, a reporter with Agence France Press reporter based at the Palestine Hotel. I asked him to outline what happened…

  • Ezzedine Said, Agence France Press reporter speaking to us from the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad.

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