At the bend of Street No. 7 stood the building that housed the agency and other press organizations. The entrance led us to a winding staircase that connected three floors. We reached a small white door on which was elegantly written ‘AC Media & News’. It was an international press agency that maintained a neutral stance regarding the events in Iraq. It was also engaged in helping Iraqis overcome the effects of occupation, and tried to ease sectarian tensions and contribute to the development of an independent Iraqi identity. At its helm was a man known as Little Boris, a veteran reporter of Russian origins. He was a hefty guy with a bald head who looked like Khrushchev. The man in charge of Iraqi affairs was Samir Mohammad, a German journalist of Iraqi descent who spoke no Arabic at all. Samir was a fascinating personality. I’d seen his photograph for the first time on the cover of an American or French magazine; I don’t remember which. I was surprised because he didn’t look like any of the Iraqis I knew either inside or outside Iraq.
