If reporting evidence of war crimes brought no consequences for the criminals, then truth had lost its value and journalists had become dispensable. By actively targeting media staff, the Assad regime also made it too dangerous for journalists to visit opposition-held areas. This has allowed it to conduct its subsequent rampages under a pall of uncertainty, assisted by its Western apologists. Was Marie Colvin's sacrifice worthwhile? It is tempting to say no—that in an indifferent world, no story is worth dying for. But Colvin's life is itself a rebuke to such pragmatism. Chris Martin's documentary, Under the Wire, is a fitting tribute to that commitment to bear witness.
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