Story update: My embed story is here. And more news on Karbala and the Mahdi Army here.

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I never met Anwar. The first time I ever heard of him was when I learned he was dead.

An Iraqi journalist and translator for CBS News, Anwar Abbas Lafta was proud of his job. So proud, that he didn't make it a secret. Leila, the half-Lebanese bureau chief here, told me how she once walked through Anwar's neighborhood with him, being careful to only speak in Arabic less people think she is American. Anwar joked that she was too cautious -- "this is the safest part of town," he told her. She writes of Anwar:

He had a way of convincing people that they needed to tell their story, he gained their respect easily. In his neighborhood he strutted around and everyone knew exactly who he was. He spoke fast and loud, in a way that made you think, this guy must know what he's talking about. It's probably why he was able to get people to talk on camera in Iraq, not a small feat in a nation rife with fear.

Anwar was fearless and courageous -- two traits that are universally admirable, but deadly in Iraq. Earlier this month, gunmen entered his home, kidnapped him and later demanded ransom. Days later, his body was discovered. He was the 200th journalist to die in Iraq since the war began. For many he was a friend and startling example of tenacity and bravery.

I think it affected everyone in the Baghdad media community in one way or another, either directly or indirectly -- it was hard to not be moved by the sadness of others. Jenan, one of our Iraqi journalists, was devastated when she learned of Anwar's death. He was a close friend, and they often talked over the phone. Somehow, Jenan came in to work the next day. She is usually lively and friendly. That day, she barely spoke a word. She took the next two days off. I'm not sure what to say to her.

I'm thankful to be here. To be part of history, and to be part of what so many Iraqi journalists risk their lives every day doing: finding the truth, and trying to make some sense of what is going on around us. Anwar was part of that, and history will remember him as a hero.