Just Another Day: Living In Baghdad

Lara Logan On How Ordinary Citizen Cope In Iraq's Capital

(CBS)  There is perhaps no place in the world today where it is harder for an average person to get through an average day than in the city of Baghdad. It has become a living hell, with daily car bombs, mortar attacks, hundreds of kidnappings and murders every week.

The problem is, in order for Iraq to have peace and security, the capital must first be made secure, which is why President Bush chose to send in more troops.

As correspondent Lara Logan reports, many in Baghdad fear it is an impossible task, given how chaotic the city has become, with terrorists, insurgents, and now a brutal civil war tearing the society apart.

---

When Mahmud al Wadi gets ready to take his kids to school, he says, "The first thing I prepare them, I prepare my weapon of course."

There couldn’t be a better metaphor for what it’s like living in Baghdad today: without his gun, Mahmud won’t even attempt the drive.

He calls ahead to friends and neighbors to make sure the roads are clear of danger. And he tells Logan he never goes the same way, changing his route every day.

It's just a short drive, but he can never know how long it will take to get there. He cracks the window so he can hear if there's gunfire or mortars nearby. The day 60 Minutes went with him, they never made it to school – they didn’t even make it out of their neighborhood, because the military had blocked all the roads.

Asked if his children are afraid, Mahmud tells Logan, "Believe me, they are afraid. Because when I told them, 'Tomorrow we'll not go to the school.' He will be very, very enjoy about this."

The only time his children ever really get to leave the house is to go to school. Otherwise they stay home.

"What kind of life is that?" Logan asks.

"No life," Mahmud says.

Mahmud's family lives on the edge of Adamiya, a violent neighborhood overtaken by hardcore insurgents and under constant attack by Shiite militias. It's off-limits to Western civilians, so the images for Logan's report were filmed by an Iraqi cameraman.

For the interview, the family had to come meet 60 Minutes, traveling across town for the first time in three years – a risk they said was worth taking to tell their story.

Asked about his daily life in Iraq, Mahmud tells Logan, "If I want to talk about this, I don't need 60 minutes, I need 60 million minutes to told you how do we live."

60 Minutes went with Mahmud, who lives off his small military pension, to see what it takes to do a simple chore like getting gas for his car.

What drivers in Baghdad face are massive queues; on the day 60 Minutes accompanied Mahmud, the queue at the gas station stretched for four miles. Sometimes, Mahmud says, he has had to wait in line for three days, sleeping there and waiting.

"And then when I come they say there is no fuel," he tells Logan.

But none of these hardships compare to the fear he has for his family, in a country where civilians – even children – are victims of kidnappings, or worse.

"When they take my boy, just they will kill him," Mahmud fears. "But when they take girl, no. They do other thing maybe."

Mahmud fears they will rape her which, he says, would be worse than killing her – because, in Iraq's Muslim culture, rape of a daughter brings shame on the victim and the whole family.

[coldplayer1]

how nice of Lara Logan to ask a 13 year old girl how she feels about watching 2 people being shot to death in front of her.

how disrespectful and thoughtless can you be for the sake "journalism"?

give me a break.

[thamiltonpp]

this was the worst reporter that I have ever seen on 60 Minutes.

[randalds]

"Why did they come?" Mahmud wonders.

"The new plan will not change anything?" Logan asks.

"Believe me not," he says.

Asked if he is going to leave Iraq, Mahmud tells Logan, "Now? Yes, I will leave Iraq."


How right they are, no, it will not. Time to get out of Iraq and hope they forgive us someday for the death and destruction we have brought to them and their nation. Yes Saddam was a vicious dictator man, but in this case the cure has proven to be much much much worse then the disease.

[schallenberg]

Although your program about life in Baghdad was very informative, more than enough time has passed for people who are concerned about the danger to their families to have gone somewhere else. The man who was interviewed is on a pension, not going to a job daily, so he could take his family and his pension and go somewhere safer. Even I could move my family at least an hour away from where I live and still go myself to my job everyday.

[cmcneil7]

What a great story! This is what we need to here more about... Especially, to give us the reasons why are troops are out there and the good they do. Those of us that live in the USA are blessed not to have to see our families go through that kind of torment day in and day out!
Please continue to bring us these kind of stories. May God help the parents and their children who are prisoners in their own homes.

[randalds]

The AP is reporting that the civilian death toll in Iraq today (Sunday) was at least 72. Plus 3 more of our soldiers were killed. The title of this piece should have been "Just Another Day: Dying IN Iraq".

[randalds]

The AP is reporting that the civilian death toll in Iraq today (Sunday) was at least 72. Plus 3 more of our soldiers were killed. The title of this piece should have been "Just Another Day: Dying IN Iraq".

[dragonmast1]

I just watched the story on Living in Baghdad and it was the worst thing to date that I have seen about Irag. What makes you people at CBS think that anyone in this country cares about Irag when we have our men fighting and dieing for a country that does not want us there. I am former military and I think we need to take a nuculear weapon and turn that country into a parking lot. CBS sure doesn't report on our military over there and men dieing like you just did on Irag. Try reporting on stories in this country like that. You never will. You people disgust me.

[jenmike4]

In addition to the insipid questions that Lara Logan asked of the children in her report, she is best evidence of some people's insensitivity to other's cultures. She wore a tight tee with cleavage while reporting from BAGHDAD! Can't you get better reporters than that?

[teresas07]

Although the tears touched my heart, hearing a citizen of Bagdad admit that the new (American) tactics will not make a difference..?? Isn't that enough?

I think Lara Logan did a great job bringing this story. I enjoy watching her.

[webstle]

I just saw Ms. Logan's report and it is of course terrible what we have released there in Iraq. But after being in Iraq for years I was more shocked that Ms. Logan disrespected the families she interviewed by not covering herself. Havent reporter's learned anything after all these years? You insulted the wives of these families by presenting yourself in front of their husbands without being covered. These people are in enough trouble without blatant disrespect. If Ms. Logan went to Japan and visited a family that removed their shoes at the door, would she just strut her high heels in with her host and hostess in their socks or slippers? I think not! You know, a little respect may have gone a long way in maybe brightening the outlook of the families not to mention improving how Americans are viewed there - OH excuse me...Ausie or Britt as well. Shame on you Ms Logan. I cringed with embarassment for you as you tried to befriend that lady's daughter while you sat there disrespecting her mother!

[walt1944-2009]

I suppose it would have been too much to think that George Bush, Karl Rove, and Paul Wolfowitz would have sat down in front of their HDTV in the comfort of the White House to watch Logan's report on what THEIR supposed attempt to bring "democracy" to Iraq has done to the people of Iraq. To Bush, Rove and all the other "Bushies" out there, the Iraq people are even less important that the poor and middle class in the US; and we are all pee-ons! All they care about is that the rich get richer and lead the good life and its too bad for anyone else!

[bettymo4]

I thought the article about Life in Bagdad was interesting, but shame on Lara Logan for her choice of clothes.. They were revealing and very disrespectful for their country. Her tight T-shirt made it hard for Mahmud al Wadi to even concentrate on the questions...let alone answer them. Her choice of dress even bothered me....maybe she should think about doing radio! Shame on you Lara...you should know better.

[dbty]

A superb report. It is mindboggling how challenging and dangerous life is there for ordinary citizens; almost as though every person faces a horrible disability. And even though the mood is sombre and disconcerting, Logan sparkles on the camera.

[bnl1933]

Lara Logan deserves an award (Pulitzer, Oscar, Nobel Prize... or whatever) for the work she has done in the Irag war. I believe she is the most believable journalist we veiw on the war. Katy should watch how she delivers a story.

Please... somebody at CBS see she is recognized!

[culturegeist]

Lara Logan's piece gave us a piercing insight into the realities of day to day life for the millions of Iraqi civilians caught between the US forces and the Sunni and Shiite militias battling or control for control of the city.

Regardless of where one stands on the US occupation of Iraq the conditions on the streets of Baghdad are glaring evidence that the current strategy in Iraq is not working.

I share the views of those who have little faith that the Bush administration will muster the moral courage to put aside their stubborn determination to be right and acknowledge that relegating US troops to the role of intermediary between the Sunni and Shiite militias waging an internal civil war is folly pure and simple.

To those who would argue that an immediate phased withdrawal of US forces from Iraq would lead to a descent into chaos: Chaos already reigns in Iraq, as previous posts indicated 72 Iraqis were killed today and three more US soldiers won't be coming home alive.

[culturegeist]

Lara Logan's piece gave us a piercing insight into the realities of day to day life for the millions of Iraqi civilians caught between the US forces and the Sunni and Shiite militias battling or control for control of the city.

Regardless of where one stands on the US occupation of Iraq the conditions on the streets of Baghdad are glaring evidence that the current strategy in Iraq is not working.

I share the views of those who have little faith that the Bush administration will muster the moral courage to put aside their stubborn determination to be right and acknowledge that relegating US troops to the role of intermediary between the Sunni and Shiite militias waging an internal civil war is folly pure and simple.

To those who would argue that an immediate phased withdrawal of US forces from Iraq would lead to a descent into chaos: Chaos already reigns in Iraq, as previous posts indicated 72 Iraqis were killed today and three more US soldiers won't be coming home alive.

[randalds]

To Bush, Rove and all the other "Bushies" out there, the Iraq people are even less important that the poor and middle class in the US; and we are all pee-ons! All they care about is that the rich get richer and lead the good life and its too bad for anyone else!
Posted by walt1944 at 08:34 PM : Apr 22, 2007

That's because to Bush and company the Iraqi's are not human beings. They're not white or christian, so they're sub-human to them on two levels. The racists ones don't care how many of them die because they're not white and the "Christians" don't care if they die because they're just Muslims. What the Bushies who are not rich don't grasp is that Bush and the other rich elite don't think they're human either because they're not part of their "class". they're more then happy to lie their as*ses off to the rubes and church goers for votes, but just as happy to scr*ew them in the as*s as much as they do the Iraqi civilians.

[kdf_worf]

I've just seen this story, and it boils my blood to think that the *** bush and his vamparitic vice-president have LIED AGAIN TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC!!!! How long will we as a nation put up with this heinous *** that comes daily from the White House, telling us just how "wonderfully" or how we are becomming the Iraqui's saviours; that we are "winning" the war, that they (the evildoers) are nothing more than running scared from our glorious troops.....bush is sounding more and more like Hitler, if you ask me....and to see such a story just makes me wonder why in the hell isn't this ***, this waste of human skin, this smirking piece of filth not IMPEACHED YET????

[scottlsf]

Here is what I wrote to George Bush and *** Cheney, I am so disgusted what America and its allies have done in Iraq!

Dearest George & ***,

I hope you both had a chance to watch 60 Minutes this evening, if not, I have attached the URL to the story they did on a day living in Baghdad.

If this is progress, then I am the Pope! Your
occupation of Iraq has destroyed this country far more than Saddam ever did!

It is a disgrace to see what America and its allies have done to the stability of Iraq! You are both so arrogant about this occupation! AND, again let me remind you Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11, one of the many lies this administration has told the American people and the world.

As far as I see it, you are both responsible for every American soldier and Iraqi killed in Iraq, an occupation that should have NEVER happened! You are a disgrace to America and will go down in history as the worst president of the United States EVER!

The world court should charge you both with murder and bring you both to justice! It would be the only dignified act that could be done for the lies you told the American people and the world so you could attack Iraq, a country that did not attack the United States!

In Disgust,
Scott Lincoln

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/20/60minutes/main2710021.shtml

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Martin Luther King Jr.

[scottlsf]

didntinhale,

You sound about as educated as George Bush!

[mikealford3]

Scott,

As a friend once said about another politician, "He has been educated beyond his intelligence".

[huanaco]

AFTER MS. LOGAN,S REPORT ALL I CAN SAY IS : NO LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

[watersmeet1]

Good story. Bad reporter. Lara Logan asked rhetorical questions to make people cry. She wiggles around like Russel Crow and I found her to be smug and distracting. I hope we don't see her again soon.

[watersmeet1]

Good story. Bad reporter. Lara Logan asked rhetorical questions to make people cry. She wiggles around like Russel Crow and I found her to be smug and distracting. I hope we don't see her again soon. (And I'm a straight male)

[feelfree1]

Related: "A U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq would be damaging to Israel, *** Cheney said."

"We must consider, as well, just what a precipitous withdrawal would mean to our other efforts in the war on terror, to our interests in the broader Middle East, and to Israel"

www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/100844.html

Time to get out of Iraq:

www.ipetitions.com/petition/OutNow

[feelfree1]

Related:

"IRAQI Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said overnight he has ordered a halt to a controverisal wall being built by US troops around a Sunni enclave in mainly Shiite east Baghdad."

""Erecting a wall around Adhamiyah is the height of failure and a bad, faulty step that violates human rights," said leading Kurdish MP Mahmud Othman."

"It's an obvious sign that the policy of US and our government has failed to keep security."

www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21603770-23109,00.html

didntinhalebutdoessuckcok wrote:

"Yes Lara...Keep prying until you make hadji's kids cry so that we can all be enlightened to the fact that ware is bad and people get killed.

Time to ratchet things up with some carpet bombs and napalm."

You're an idiot - much like your boyfriend, GW Bush.

No answers, but just can't help proving what sort of an idiot you are every time you comment.

[idlepugilist]

Smug comments from people stateside who aren't risking their lives in Iraq in order to put together a story. That wimpy reporter, geez, the whiny stuff she puts together.
It's sad if you think that way. Reporters have a job to report both sides of the story. If she isn't painting a Bush-perfect portrait, get over it.
By the way, I doubt most soldiers feel supported by their President knowing they have to sacrifice additional time away from their families, as well as the additional risk to their lives. And we see how intimidated the Islamic extremists have become since news of the troop surge. I guess the increased death toll spells "Mission Accomplished" again.
Mr. President: Tear down your war.

Hey didntinhalebutdoessuckcok,

How come you haven't joined the army, marines, navy or airforce yet?

Are you scared of the hadjis?

Is that it?

lol - you have a yellow streak down your back and a brown streak in your pants.

Do everyone a favor, stop talking about toasting hadjis and go and let them show us what kind of a moron, I mean, man, you really are.

Or is it that you're just a gutless coward?

[randalds]

Or is it that you're just a gutless coward?

Posted by mcdazz at 11:23 PM : Apr 22, 2007


Yep, I'd say that hits the nail on the head about didntinhale.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Nearly 200 physicians, including 15 of Quoresh's closest friends, have been murdered by those intent on destroying Iraqi society"

The Isrealis?

Re: "But with al Qaeda terrorists determined to see the U.S. fail..."

The ever-breathless Ms. Logan never misses an opportunity to toss in a few bits of unsubstantiated and unsupported hype, to spice up her yellow journalism. Now she seems to fancy herself as a spokesman for al-CIA'da.

How ridiculous. Clearly she has been in-bedded with our troops for far too long.

[toldyouso21]

This just in...Al Maliki has ordered the Sunni wall to be STOPPED. (But America would not comment) Maliki ordered it to be stopped due to opposition from Arabs he spoke with all over the Middle EAst. The likened it to the Berlin Wall and the wall in Israel and said it was a symbol of oppression. Don't know if they will halt it for good (Al Maliki says yes, but America appears reluctant to stop) but right now--the wall is a NO GO!!!!!!!!

[toldyouso21]

how disrespectful and thoughtless can you be for the sake "journalism"?

give me a break.Posted by coldplayer1 at 07:39 PM : Apr 22, 2007


how sick can we be for giving Iraq our war of choice that gives that 13 year old girl a story about watching 2 people being shot in front of her. Start with the root of the problem--it is NOT the reporting, it is our illegal, meddling war.

[toldyouso21]

Those of us that live in the USA are blessed not to have to see our families go through that kind of torment day in and day out! May God help the parents and their children who are prisoners in their own homesPosted by cmcneil7 at 07:49 PM : Apr 22, 2007

I can think of nothing more cowardly than Americans wanting to fight a war we choose "over there, so we don't have to fight them over here" Why is that a good choice? Why do we want to destroy another country for our own war and destroy another people while we sit at home and cheer it all on? It is like a grown up grabbing a child to use as a shield against a gunman. It is depraved and craven. Only people with no honor fight by proxy--if we really believe in this fight and that so many should die for it--let's put our money and our fire power where our mouths are--let the fight come to us--maybe then, when we have to live like Iraqis--we can truly understand a weigh the costs of a war of choice and the terrible losses it inflicts. We need to fight them here--since we are the ones who want a fight==and stop volunteering other countries for our bs. May God forgive us for being the cause of this particular story and all the others that have resulted from the power vacuum our invasion unleashed.

[toldyouso21]

just saw Ms. Logan's report and it is of course terrible what we have released there in Iraq. But after being in Iraq for years I was more shocked that Ms. Logan disrespected the families she interviewed by not covering herself. Posted by webstle at 08:17 PM : Apr 22, 2007


Yep! We're with you! In the middle of death squads and car bombs, we are sure the people were still so petty as to be concerned with cleavage and custom as you were--instead of being able to tell their stories. Get a clue--prioritize. People are dying, and being raped, beheaded, etc. Garbage is in the streets, and people are hungry--you be petty and worry about the cleavage instead of focusing on the actual message--the horrors of our war of choice--we'll catch you later when you find that clue.

[lisacarley]

you know...I felt sorry for the family until the father said that his daughter being raped would be "worse" than her death. And the ditsy blonde reporter didn't even flinch. Americans are constantly taking it for granted that ALL of its people are FREE and EQUAL under the law. These Iraqi people are victims of an ungodly religion. No God would want that kind of judgement brought upon it's women. Frankly, they deserve all they're getting over there. I'm just sorry that Americans are dying for a worthless nation over there. They treat their dogs better than they treat their women. Wonder why Hillary and Nancy Pelosi can't see that.

[feelfree1]

toldyouso21 at 12:30 AM ,

Nicely put.

The Bush regime dead-enders are eager to risk the blood, treasure, and dignity of others, so long as they are not asked to risk anything.

Fortunately, they are in their last throes.

[toldyouso21]

Frankly, they deserve all they're getting over there. I'm just sorry that Americans are dying for a worthless nation over there. They treat their dogs better than they treat their women. Wonder why Hillary and Nancy Pelosi can't see that.
Posted by lisacarley at 12:35 AM : Apr 23, 2007


You should read your own comments--if their outlook and comments were terrible and they treat their dogs better--yours were even worse? They deserve what they are getting over there? Rapes, beheadings etc. So at least they treat their dogs better--but look at you---you appear to be worse than they are, they do NOT deserve what we are doing to them no matter what they believe--if you don't care about how we are destroying a people who did nothing to us--then at least have enough self respect of how you have allowed your own self to be destroyed--until you resemble a depraved terrorist. They too, think the people that get harmed deserve everything they get and then some. Welcome to the club of inhumanity--may you live long enough to regret your horrible words and experience enough trials to have empathy for those you wish evil and our illegal war on.

[bluestardad]

Hey was McCain just over there saying this place was safer now?

[karlimhof]

I fear we may have to KILL with Prejudice until Hadji starts respecting OUR TRIBE!!
Posted by didntinhale but does swallow

your tribe? take it and shove it - people like you are the reason we're in this quagmire and have an idiot in the white house with all his neocon warmongers. when you go out the door, the sudden pressure on your brain is coming from our collective boot up your azzz.

[cbs_oliver]

Meanwhile the US military is shooting kisses and dropping lollipops from airplanes and helecopters.

The local militias should stop this senseless violence and go back where they belong.

[dallison7]

There couldn%u2019t be a better metaphor for what it%u2019s like living in Baghdad today: without his gun, Mahmud won%u2019t even attempt the drive.

He calls ahead to friends and neighbors to make sure the roads are clear of danger. And he tells Logan he never goes the same way, changing his route every day.




CARE TO COMMENT, SENATOR McCAIN??

[amazeus-2009]

Amazing! The "chief foreign correspondent" for CBS, Lara Logan, does an interview in clothing that shouts total disrespect for the struggling, desparate family she is interviewing. It is as if she/CBS does not have a clue about the culture. Then she asks soft questions and urges . . . waits for tears.

For the record I'm a fairly ordinary white, middle class American christian who values diversity. I have respected much of what 60 Minutes has done over many years. This piece was appalling. It was more subtle than Imus but displayed the same insensitivity.

[nocigars]

I too was appalled at Laura Logan's dress code. What ever happened to (When in Rome ...)

[andymancando]

I was very touched by the story of Mahmud al Wadi family. Is there some place we can donate money to help these people as they try to survive this conflict? CBS needs to ensure that it's a legitimate site.
Seeing his daughter cry when talking about the murders she witnessed just made me see how this was a young girl from anywhere in the world that should never have to go through this. Just tragic.
It was a powerful story. How can we help???

[prinsue]

Lara Logan's interview with the family in Baghdad was extremely insensitive. Not only did she not cover her head, but her unthinking question at the dinner table reduced a young woman to tears. Completely unnecessary. She did the same thing with Mahmoud. Was she not properly advised?

[elgraz]

I've heard that there is an all expense paid 2 weeks vacation at the Baghdad Hilton for you people. You'll love it there. Contact expedia.com.

[andymancando]

Lara did an excellent job. She's forgotten more about mideast culture than the 'average American' will ever know. She's risking her life so you can see what's actually going on over there.
More about Lara from her bio:
(CBS) Lara Logan was named a CBS News correspondent in May 2002 and has also contributes to 60 Minutes.

She provided daily reports on the war in Iraq and was the only journalist from an American network in Baghdad when American troops invaded the city, reporting live from Firdos Square as the statue of Saddam fell.

Logan has reported extensively from the frontlines of Afghanistan and has followed the Green Berets as they search for Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

[bergis1]

Am I watching 60 minutes or Barbie in Bagdad? I found Lara's piece very well down but shouldn't she have shown the respect for their culture by wearing appropriate clothing? My daughter was recently working for a NGO in Afganistan and would not have thought to go to a muslim home without covering and certainly not by showing cleavage! Oh well, if you've got it why not flaunt it.