Car Bombing In Baghdad – From Iraq to a Hard Place

“That’s very close to our hotel,” we all thought when the sky lit up over Baghdad. Two seconds later we heard the blast. We were just leaving the Green Zone, a very secure government compound, so when we found our driver, and he pointed out the smoke now rising from behind where our hotel is located, we felt terrorism up close and personal. Driving the four miles across the Tigris River didn’t take long and, upon arriving at the Hotel Palestine, our new home, also a fortress with wire, concrete and tanks surrounding it, we discovered that the blast had taken place about four blocks away behind a mosque and near a hospital.

Instead of heading over with CNN and others we found the spot with the best view…TV.

CNN, Fox and Al-Jazeera had the fire going hot. Apparently a car bomb, number of dead unknown…the usual story except now in our own backyard.

This was our first day in Baghdad—to say it was a blast would be too much of a pun. We went to the site the next day, took pictures of the several square blocks that were completely devastated, buildings in shambles, cars twisted and burned out. This busy neighborhood housed a hotel, many small shops and homes. Life went on children played around the wreckage, storekeepers swept up glass and tanks guarded all the streets. We talked to a couple who lived there and whose house was blown away. We got a feel for how Americans are viewed and many are glad we are here.

We had the good fortune of interviewing Gen. Kimmitt just after he finished a live interview with Diane Sawyer and we also interviewed Bremer’s aide and spokesman, Dan Senor.

The folks here have been great to us, and yes, it is dangerous, but we are as safe as can be expected.