Baghdad worse than ever, says Hill

[leftchick]

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11597627%5E401,00.html

~snip~

Such has been the escalation of violence in the run-up to the January 30 elections that for the first time in four visits, the Defence Minister could not make it to the centre of the Iraqi capital last Friday.

So dangerous has the main highway to and from the airport become, with daily suicide bomb attacks, he did not visit the Australian embassy or the Green Zone that comprises the headquarters of the US-led coalition forces in Iraq.

"This is the first time I've been unable to do that. It's very dangerous - a number of countries are no longer travelling along it," Senator Hill told The Australian yesterday.

"I would have (travelled into central Baghdad) if we'd had a helicopter, but they were being used for more important tasks."

[Ilsa]

1. Anne Gerrols of NPR said she felt safer

in Fallujah with the Marines than in Baghdad where you could be kidnapped or blown up as you are passing a car bomb.

[MaryH]

3. I'll bet it's still not as dangerous as certain parts of Kansas City

of a Saturday nite. There are places here where you just don't go dduring the daytime or at nite. Hoodlams and druglords own those streets. And everyday we have at least two shootings - sometimes more.

[NNN0LHI]

6. They got roadside bombs in Kansas City too?

Wow, I didn't know that.

Don

[DS1]

9. Only on Thursday

:-)

[SmokingJacket]

8. I worry about Garrols.

She's been there since the very beginning.

She should get a new assignment before her luck runs out.

[NNN0LHI]

2. "if we'd had a helicopter, they were being used for more important tasks"

Yea, like slaughtering Iraqis.

Don

[LisaL]

4. Of course it is. One can pretty much post :

"A big explosion happened in Baghdad" on LBN every day.

[NNN0LHI]

7. Its changed lately. Now its "smoke seen billowing from Green Zone" n/t

[jmcgowanjm]

5. So, basicly the Resistance controls the Airport Highway

So everything has to come in by air.

And elections happen when?

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/120104_world_burns_summary.shtml