At the start of the American-led Iraq War, Salihee was a doctor in Baghdad, and married to another doctor in the city. Struggling to support his family on the Iraqi Health Ministry's salary, he began working for the U.S. National Public Radio and for Japanese news services.[1] Salihee was able to earn a whole months' salary as a doctor working a single day while translating for American media.[2] In early 2004, Salihee approached Knight Ridder's Baghdad bureau requesting work as a journalist. The bureau was looking for an office manager but nevertheless hired Salihee, who quickly became a favorite among his colleagues.[1] As a correspondent for Knight Ridder, Salihee took great risks "to gather scraps of truth in a place filled with deceit and danger," according to colleague and reporter Hannah Allam.[1] Allam wrote that Salihee was motivated by a desire to show American readers the reality of life for Iraqis in a war zone.[1]