McCain in Baghdad - part 2

Thanks to Buckarooskidoo for keeping up with the world more than I have been lately. And to pointing out the McCain story. For those who are interested, the NYT has some great quotes from the market owners on the McCain stroll in one of their stories. In fact, merchants tried to get the Americans to pay attention to how bad things had been and were telling their stories to people (and let's here it for the Congressional aide who had the presence of mind to buy something instead of jotting down critical info about our allies during wartime).

“They asked about our conditions, and we told them the situation was bad,” said Aboud Sharif Kadhoury, 63, who peddles prayer rugs at a sidewalk stand. He said he sold a small prayer rug worth less than $1 to a member of the Congressional delegation. (The official paid $20 and told Mr. Kadhoury to keep the change, the vendor said.)

Mr. Kadhoury said he lost more than $2,000 worth of merchandise in the triple bombing in February. “I was hit in the head and back with shrapnel,” he recalled.

Ali Youssef, 39, who sells glassware from a sidewalk stand down the block from Mr. Kadhoury, recalled: “Everybody complained to them. We told them we were harmed.”

Oh, and the extra special benefit of McCain's publicity trip?

Several merchants said Monday that the Americans’ visit might have only made the market a more inviting target for insurgents.

“Every time the government announces anything — that the electricity is good or the water supply is good — the insurgents come to attack it immediately,” said Abu Samer, 49, who would give only his nickname out of concern for his safety.