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.

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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.

[webstle]

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.
Posted by toldyouso21 at 12:34 AM : Apr 23, 2007

You Did notice the man Left Not Just town but the country after the interview? The Death squads target those who allow Islam to be disrespected by not requiring proper dress in their home! He had a workable solution in place until that interview....thats how important it was...The man was an outcast after that visit and his family was placed in jeopardy by Ms Logans lack of attention to detail...I see many posts about her experience in the middle east...if that is true ..she HAD to know better!

[andymancando]

This is worth reading:
http://www.usip.org/isg/iraq_study_group_report/report/1206/iraq_study_group_report.pdf

[jfeicht]

George Bush needs to be stopped. This tory sickened me. Almsost made me cry. I figured it was bad there, but seeing video of what everyone, especially kids, go through. Bush is trying to "win the war" that he started. Where is Osama? This is a personal war. His daddy couldn't get Sadam, so he was determined to. He has to be impeached. If not, thousands more will die before November '08. To the Iraqi people: I am sorry! Please do not judge all who live in the United States by our warmonger president. Bush is arrogant and it is costing thousands their lives and and their loved ones grief. Georgie, admit you are wrong. Or go over there amidst the fighting and maybe that will change your mind. Better yet, apologize to the Iraqi people, tell them you were wrong and let them start their lives over without the USA having to be involved. Stop polocing the world. George needs to leave office and soon.

[shoffman123]

This piece really opened my eyes to the daily struggle ordinary Iraqi citizens living in Baghdad must face. I thought it was well done and insightful.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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???

[nocigars]

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

[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.

[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??

[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.

[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.

[bluestardad]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.