Part of the story is told from the perspective of two reporters embedded in the opposite camps of the war.

Back then, last April, when I was a reporter embedded with the United States Army, Iraq seemed as if it was slowly coming under control.

This reporter, once embedded with United States forces, was given unrestricted access to the troops, who were free to speak without supervision.

To this reporter embedded with the assault force, the Iraqis often seemed disorganized, complacent and undisciplined.

(Under rules for a reporter embedded with the Special Operations forces, only senior commanders could be quoted by name.)

She attributed this to reporters embedded with the rebels, who produced reports which are "too emotive" and "veering into opinion".

A reporter embedded with the soldiers wrote about the resulting carnage in the New York Times.

It was left to reporters embedded in the mayhem to let Americans know that a third world country had suddenly appeared on the Gulf Coast.

This evening we have a special report from a team of intrepid reporters embedded with the American and Nepalese unit cut off in the middle east.

The station has a reporter embedded with the crew of the International Space Station, Nick Burnham, who is inevitably miles away from the news.