Commuting in Iraq: From Tedium to Mortal Danger
The U.S. troop build-up in Baghdad may have reduced overall violence in the city, but life for many people remains a nightmare of obstacles and dangers.
On Wednesday, for instance, the morning commute for two NPR employees in Baghdad became a four-hour ordeal that required patience, courage, quick wits and resourcefulness.
Like so much of life in the Iraqi capital, the experience combined long periods of tedium and frustration with short periods of mortal danger.