Baghdad Journal: May 19, 2006

May 19, 2006 — -- As the great Ben Affleck said in the immortal film "Armageddon," "All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go ..." My three-week stint in Baghdad has come and gone, save for this last night when things could still blow up, I suppose. But in lieu of that, let's tie up some loose ends:

So where does this trip rank? This was an odd visit. In some ways, I feel like I know less about Iraq than ever before (though I know more about Lionel Richie). There is a huge amount of uncertainty here. Iraqis are hopeful the new government will make a positive difference but are by no means convinced it will.

The "insurgency" was less of an issue this time than on any of my previous visits, but there is significantly more fear than I have ever seen ... fear of sectarian violence. Iraqis are scrutinizing every appointment to the Cabinet and every decision the government makes based on sectarian lines. This is a dangerous trend. Will it get worse or better? Who knows?