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Power on the Streets

A friend of mine, who is Shiite, was driving home the other day when a minivan clipped the front of his car, leaving a small dent. My friend leaned out of his window and told the driver of the van,...

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October 28, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

HAPPY EID IN BAGHDAD

It is Eid now, the three-day feast that Muslims celebrate after the end of Ramadan, and mercifully the level of violence in Baghdad seems to have moderated, at least somewhat. Eid is effectively equivalent to a western Christmas – when...

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October 25, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

Smells of Baghdad

We have an issue with the laundry. The clothes are taken from the ABC compound to a laundry outside, and usually returned within two or three days. Problem is, recently they have been coming back all smelling of gasoline. Now...

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October 22, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (1)

A SILENT SCREAMING

I said goodbye to an Iraqi friend today. He is leaving the country, taking his family to Syria. He is a vanquished, broken man, and seeing him was unbearably sad. Six months ago one of his two brothers was killed...

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October 17, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (10)

What We Know and How We Know It

How do we know what we know about Iraq? As reporters in Baghdad, our movements are severely circumscribed by security concerns, so it is difficult for us to get out and report. Even our local Iraqi colleagues are finding that...

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October 17, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (0)

THE SKIES OF BAGHDAD

The temperature has broken in Iraq and the sun is more bearable during the day. After dark it is pleasantly balmy, and we have taken to eating dinner outside under the date palms. The moon shines brightly and the other...

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October 11, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (4)

RAMADAN IN BAGHDAD

The Muslim world is in the middle of Ramadan, a period of fasting and self-reflection aimed at cleansing the body and the soul. But while cities throughout the Middle East have overflowing mosques during the day and crowded restaurants after...

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October 9, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (1)

BAGHDAD KAFKA

An Iraqi friend was “taken in for questioning” earlier this week, by armed men who claimed to be from the government. They came to his house in the early evening – they would only take him for an hour or...

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October 6, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (0)