Strange feelings

What would motivate someone to live and work in modern-day Iraq? The altruism of Mahatma Gandhi? A truckload of money?

Here's Newsweek reporter Michael Hastings' frank assessment of why he worked fly-in fly-out in Iraq:

It's one of those really difficult questions I've had to ask myself after what happened; um, was why do people like myself, why do people like Andi (that was her name) ... why do they go to Iraq? ... what compels those of us who go to go?
The reality is because it's intoxicating and it's exciting; and there's an element of fun involved. And there's an element of being at the centre of what is the biggest story for certainly my generation. And that's a very real feeling.

Intoxicating. Exciting. Fun. A real feeling. Hats off to Hastings for his brutal honesty. But, somehow, I'd have thought bringing the sorry plight of a bloody and anarchichal country to the ears and eyes of the world was about something bigger than your feelings.

Hastings has written a book called I lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern Love Story. To hear more of his story -- there's a whole lot more -- check out Life Matters on Radio National.