Mortars rattle nerves in U.S. haven in Iraq

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/8038247.html

BAGHDAD - Rusty Barber was sitting at his desk in a comfortable if spartan office inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone when the first explosion sounded, close enough to rattle the building and his nerves. He got up from his chair, directly in front of a window, and hurried to the building's more protected central corridor. Then the second mortar shell struck.

The round severed a palm tree just outside Barber's office, spraying shrapnel across the side of the building, splintering Barber's window, and peppering the room with bullet-size pieces of razor-sharp metal. One traveled through a wooden closet and destroyed a porcelain sink; one embedded itself in the small refrigerator; one ricocheted off his desk; another struck his computer monitor.

"It was a sobering event," said Barber, 42, head of the local office of the U.S. Institute of Peace. In all, about 10 mortar rounds struck parts of the Green Zone that day in mid-May, killing two Iraqis and wounding 10 other people. Ten cars were damaged or destroyed in the barrage at Barber's complex, a short walk from the U.S. Embassy.

"You accept a level of risk when you come over here, but no one expects a direct encounter with shrapnel like this," Barber said, carefully fingering a jagged, inch-long piece of metal retrieved from the refrigerator.

You can't even walk around anymore without a flak jacket.

know what zone you are working in until you hear it of the newz.

he is not in Beverly Hills...

at least one place safe.

Silly solder; safe is for wimps in Washington.

the hell out of Baghdad.

Jeez!

Even heading a front has its risks these days.

I mean it sounds like a fine if somewhat oxymoronic idea, but they must not have much a budget...

And they should fire their publicist. The U.S. Institute of Peace has got to be the least known Institute I now know of.

A sorely needed patch - now the Baghdad Zone has a few onion layers. This is to keep troops safe and secure from terrorism, depending on which color they preside.

Our first Zone is called Pink and it is just as dangerous as Red, but better than Yellow. The Olive Zone is next and offers many non-existent layers of wood and cement for protection. Next we have the White Zone, senior officers quarters. Next we have the Silver Zone, followed by Gold and then Visa Triple Platinum - best Zone to be in. VIP personal only - thanks.