Green Zone faces renewed violence

[unhappycamper]

Green Zone faces renewed violence
By Bradley Brooks - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Mar 27, 2008 16:15:37 EDT

BAGHDAD — Warning sirens wail and within seconds rockets and mortars strike — sometimes one or two, other times 10 or more.

The Green Zone is again a prime target as American and British diplomats, Iraqi politicians, contractors and others struggle to go about their business — always aware that any time they are outside the most fortified buildings there is a chance to be injured or killed.

The danger has temporarily reshaped life: Green Zone traffic is minimal, few people venture out on the streets and security precautions — always high — have been boosted. Many diplomats and others prefer to bunk on cots in the stone and marble grandeur of the former Saddam Hussein palace that now holds U.S. Embassy offices.

On Thursday, the State Department instructed all Embassy personnel not to leave reinforced structures. A memo sent to embassy staff and obtained by the Associated Press says employees are required to wear helmets and other protective gear if they must venture outside and strongly advises them to sleep in blast-resistant locations instead of trailers.

For the fourth day this week, suspected Shiite militiamen sent rockets and mortars into the Green Zone in central Baghdad. The volleys on Thursday began in the morning and came in about once an hour well into nightfall.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_greenzoneviolence_032708/

[peace13]

1. Good that the article points out where most people sleep.

This prevents the attackers from wasting any ammo. Great job!