LONDON (Reuters) - Reporters covering the war in Iraq are trained in everything from dodging live fire to escaping a minefield, but the death of two journalists this weekend has driven home the ultimate risk of reporting the conflict in a fierce competition for news.
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Lloyd and Moran, a freelancer for Australia's ABC news, were each making their way with other journalists across Iraq rather than traveling with coalition forces, stirring a debate about the risks of independent reporting in a war seen by some editors as the most dangerous since Vietnam.

From Britain's Sky news to Brazil's TV Globo, hundreds of reporters have descended on Iraq and surrounding countries to cover the battle, scouring the desert and cities for news.

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The days of sending reporters off to wars with a notepad and a hard hat are far gone, with news organizations spending millions of dollars preparing journalists for this conflict.

Most have undergone rigorous training to learn how to cope in hostile environments and deal with chemical or biological warfare. Many are also equipped with gas masks, chemical and biological suits, flak jackets and other kit.
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Particularly at risk are reporters remaining in Baghdad.

Many news organizations pulled their reporters out of Baghdad last week as war loomed but more than 200 including 20 Reuters reporters are estimated to remain in the Iraqi capital.

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