Normality

Someone asked me today what surprised me about Baghdad, and I said "its normality". Anyone looking at Iraq from abroad might assume there are regular shootings on every street corner, and people scamper about looking over their shoulders. But it really isn't like that at all. Sure there are burnt out buildings everywhere. Sure there are Dubaba (tank) and hamar (humvee) patrols with soldiers clinging on to their rashasha (machine guns). Sure there are street kids, in a country which never realy had homeless people before. Sure there is barbed wire around major hotels etc. etc. But people sit on the street and drink tea and as I wander about town I don't get the slit-eye treatment but warm greetings everywhere.