Baghdad crud and the new embassy

Sorry for the absence. I came down with the Baghdad crud. Actually, a bit of bronchitis and the flue at the same time. so much for the flue shot, eh? the downside to the 4 days of aches, pains, sniffles, coughing, etc. (and you don't want the details on the etc.) is that it was followed by 2 weeks of continuing coughing spells. the doc here says that was to be expected - my bronchi became hyper sensitive during the illness and it will be sometime until they get better. the dust,and all sorts of nasty stuff floating in the air (and you really don't want the details on that) also contribute. most everyone here is coughing a fair bit; I'm just doing it way above average (see mom, i am above average). it is very annoying as the coughing fit comes on if a speak at length. yes, loquacious ed brought down by post-bronchitic cough.

if you missed it, just yesterday, Friday, the Muslim day of prayer and rest, the Al-Qaeda bastards detonated two suicide bombers in the pets markets here in Baghdad. if the initial reports are true, these beast (Osama and his ilk) strapped suicide vests onto two mentally handicapped women, sent them into the pet market, then detonated their vests from a safe distance. they chose the pet market and on a friday as it gets the maximum number of women and children, moms take kids to pet markets on the day off. charming evil bastards those AQI types, eh?

did a tour of the new embassy compound. you can read much about it in a vanity fair article of some months ago, but ed's scoop: nice apartments, good office space, lots of creature comforts unheard of at most embassies (indoor pool, gyms, weight/exercise room, concession space for burger king, etc., etc..) but, as we cannot go out and shop on the local economy s we would normally do, well, everything must be provided inside the hardened structures where we'll live and work. sucha shame - most people in the foreign service like to get out with the locals - shopping in the souk, buying brochettes from street vendors in conakry, water from vendors in the djma il fna in marrakesh, etc. but, to keep us safe, we'll here be behind the walls and isolated away fromt he populace - rather self-defeaating of public diplomacy efforts.

still, it is a nice complex, though the line of site babyon hotel and nearby apartment complex will give snipers a great opportunity - though they'd likely get to do that only once, and not live to regret it.

still cold, bracing morning, chilly nights, sunny but nippy middays.

keep those cards and letters coming. and yes, the surge, or the change in tactics that necessitated the surge, is working.