Another birthday in Baghdad
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Today is my third birthday in Baghdad, as in it’s the third time I’ve spent a birthday in Baghdad as oppose to being three – something that happened 29, distant, years ago.
My first birthday in Iraq, back in 2004, was marked by a big car bomb and lots of reporting on the carnage. The second birthday was last year. Again there were bombs but this time less reporting as media interest in the war had waned.
This year, in contrast, there were no major bomb blasts, reflecting an overall drop in violence across the country over the past 12 months.
Dangers remain, however.
An Iraqi friend was hit in the shoulder by a stray bullet a couple of days ago while out shopping in Baghdad.
In addition, two Blackhawk helicopters crashed in the capital this evening while attempting to land. One Iraqi solider was killed and two American and two Iraqi soldiers were injured.
Not wanting to make a fuss, I chose not to mention to my team that it was my birthday. Word, however, leaked out and this evening I was greeted by a large cake and a loud chorus of “Happy Birthday”.
admin @ October 5, 2008