Washington, June 17: Victoria Clarke, the Pentagon spokeswoman best known for "embedding" hundreds of reporters from around the world with combat units during the war in Iraq, has resigned her post for personal reasons, the pentagon announced yesterday. "She will be sorely missed," Rumsfeld said in a statement announcing her departure. He praised her as a "gifted communicator." "During her remarkable two years of service in the Department of Defense, she has developed countless new methods to tell the story of our fighting forces, and bring their courage, dedication and professionalism into sharp focus for all Americans," he said.


Clarke's biggest innovation was to arrange for intensive on-the-spot coverage of the war in Iraq by embedding hundreds of reporters from us and international news organisation with a US-led invasion force.


The experiment produced a crackling, sometimes chaotic journalistic record of a military campaign in real-time and on an unprecedented scale.


Rumsfeld later said it was a gamble but agreed to do it after being persuaded that the virtues of American soldiers in combat would shine through the coverage.


Clarke said she was leaving for personal reasons but did not elaborate.

"I depart sadly, because this has been the best professional experience of my life. It has been a true honour working for the men and women of the US military."
She was the first woman to serve as assistant secretary of defense for public affairs and the chief spokesman for the US military.
Bureau Report