Hugh sends these snapshots of Baghdad...
and writes: "George Bush said on TV two weeks ago, "Ordinary life is beginning to return (to Baghdad)". Inevitably, cocooned at an airbase in the western Iraqi desert, the President couldn't see anything for himself. So, in case you are an Eddie Mair blog fan, Mr. President, here's a sample of Ordinary Life in Baghdad.
It looks ordinary in this picture. Ordinary traffic jam. We are stopped to make way for a convoy of ordinary US Army Humvees.
Baghdad is only 'ordinary' behind concrete blast walls, sandbags and razor wire.This is Saddoun Street - Baghdad's equivalent of Oxford Street in London.
Barbed wire and sanbdbag protection for a bank on Saddoun Street.
A residential neighbourhood in west Baghdad. More ordinary concrete barriers and barbed wire.
Our bureau noticeboard. A typical day. Those details are so routine as to be barely reported.
Iraqi army AAV (Amphibious Assault Vehicle) guarding the road to Baghdad airport.
Remote control checkpoint on the airport road. Troops in the bunker use binoculars to check ID - so if you are a suicide bomber you only kill yourself, and other drivers nearby. The strange-looking sand-coloured vehicle ahead is the Rhino - an armour-plated bus for transporting contractors)
You have been warned.
Checkpoint, and anti-blast walls, near the airport.
Baghdad airport. An ordinary convoy of fourteen security vehicles - carrying Iraqi President Talabani - crossed the tarmac just before I took this picture."
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Hugh - 9 Photographs and less than 200 words I guess, but a superb vignette of real Baghdad. Thank you.
Obviously requires a metaphysical interpretation of 'ordinary'
Thanks Hugh, as ever
Hugh - thank you again. I truly hope Bush does get to see this (I can't believe the man can really be that ignorant but it wouldn't hurt to make doubly sure).
Be safe, that extends to your colleauges too.
Amazing pictures!
Very eerie too.
Good report Hugh
Well, I tried to get President Bush to have a look, by sending a link to your pictures Hugh.
This is the reply I received:
"On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence.
We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions.
Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to
every message.
Thank you again for taking the time to write."
I just hope he takes the time to have a look....
Well, I tried to get President Bush to have a look, by sending a link to your pictures Hugh.
This is the reply I received:
"On behalf of President Bush, thank you for your correspondence.
We appreciate hearing your views and welcome your suggestions.
Due to the large volume of e-mail received, the White House cannot respond to
every message.
Thank you again for taking the time to write."
I just hope he takes the time to have a look....
According to Nation Master:
"The USA has the highest rate of deaths, injuries, and crimes (per capita) with guns in the world."
Maybe GWB saw Baghdad as a weekend break.
"Well now its time to say good by to Jed and all his kin.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You're all invited back a gain to this locality
To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality
Baghdad that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.
Y'all come back now, y'hear?"
Thank you to Hugh for continuing to show us the pictures that as somebody remarked earlier say more than words.
I wonder how many barricades, convoys, vans full of armed invaders, sandbags, deaths by bomb, and miles of barbed wire count as "ordinary life" in most countries' capital cities?
this made me weep. Not of any picture in particular, nor the whole in general, but of the utter futility of all the heart ache, and the fact that apparently we never learn.
'ordinary'
To quote Mark Antony: "and Brutus is an honourable man"
Hugh:
I'd be most grateful if, when you're speaking to an 'ordinary' Iraqi, you would, on my behalf, pass on my apologies, as an 'ordinary' British citizen, for the awful mess in their extraordinary country.
And if there's any other way you can think by which I, and any other froggers, and other 'ordinary' British people, can make known our feelings of sympathy and shame to the 'ordinary' Iraqi 'man/woman in the street', please, please let us know.
Thank you, Hugh, for being a fine representative for the Britons who care
Hugh:
I'd be most grateful if, when you're speaking to an 'ordinary' Iraqi, you would, on my behalf, pass on my apologies, as an 'ordinary' British citizen, for the awful mess in their extraordinary country.
And if there's any other way you can think by which I, and any other froggers, and other 'ordinary' British people, can make known our feelings of sympathy and shame to the 'ordinary' Iraqi 'man/woman in the street', please, please let us know.
Thank you, Hugh, for being a fine representative for the Britons who care
As usual, Hugh, excellent and concise. Thanks, and nicky, I hear you and concur :-(
Salaam, etc
ed