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June 23, 2006

Last throes (again)

Thinks aren't looking so rosey in Baghdad:

Iraqis call state of emergency in Baghdad:

Iraq's government clamped a state of emergency on Baghdad and ordered everyone off the streets Friday after U.S. and Iraqi forces battled insurgents armed with rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades and rifles near the heavily fortified Green Zone. The military also announced the deaths of five more U.S. troops in a particularly violent week for American forces that included the discovery of the brutalized bodies of two soldiers. Twelve U.S. servicemembers have died or been found dead this week.

The fierce fighting in the heart of Baghdad came despite a crackdown launched 10 days ago that put tens of thousands of U.S.-backed Iraqi troops on the streets as the new prime minister sought to restore a modicum of safety for the capital's 6 million people.

Iraqi and U.S. military forces clashed with heavily armed attackers throughout the morning Friday in the alleys and doorways along Haifa Street and within earshot of the Green Zone, which houses the U.S. and British embassies and Iraqi government headquarters.

The most tightly watched city in Iraq is barely under control it would seem.

But oh those reporters. Why aren't they out among the people--writing all the good news from Iraq? All those schools in Baghdad must be doing supremely well with militia roadblocks and gunfire in the streets.

Surely they could get a quote or two from the cute little Iraqi kids trying to dodge bullets.

Posted by Carla at June 23, 2006 03:36 PM