Shock, awe, death, joy and looting: how the Guardian covered the outbreak of the Iraq war
Shock, awe, death, joy and looting: how the Guardian covered the outbreak of the Iraq war  
Podcast: The Audio Long Read
Rating: Explicit Published On: Fri Mar 13 2026
Description: In spring 2003, exuberance at the fall of Saddam was swiftly followed by a descent into deadly chaos. Whether moving independently or embedded with troops, Guardian reporters witnessed the violence on the ground By Ian Mayes. Read by Karl Queensborough. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod