Merry Christmas, Baghdad

Dec. 24, 2006 — -- Christmas: In Arabic it is "milad majid," the birth of the master.

Muslims don't dispute the birth of Jesus, they just rank him along with other prophets. Jesus, who is called Isa by Muslims, was born of Mary but with no father, and lived a good life, showing kindness to animals and humans, according to the Koran.

But Muslims do not believe that Jesus was God incarnate, nor do Muslims celebrate Christmas. Their rough equivalent is Eid, which is the holiday after the Ramadan fast, a time for family to gather together and give each other gifts.

But with their acute sense of religious formalities, they are well aware that now is the Christian feast (how many Americans know what date Ramadan ended this year?).

In our bureau here in Baghdad, with exquisite politeness and touching solicitousness, our local staff has been wishing us merry Christmas today, with smiles that are so charming that I can only wonder at the reasons for the slaughter of co-religionists outside on the streets of Baghdad.

Truth is, most Iraqis are still very respectful of the creed of others. Most Europeans didn't go on the Crusades either. …

There is not much outward sign of Christmas in Baghdad. Christians have increasingly found themselves targeted in the worsening sectarian war here -- not that they have a stake in the Sunni-Shiite struggle, just because they are different (and some sell alcohol, which has long been legal in Iraq, but is now finding disfavor among resurgent Muslim extremists).

In the Karadah district, one of the few remaining Christian neighborhoods, there are a few stores selling Christmas decorations, but they are keeping their displays very low key. Only one man was out selling Christmas trees -- in past years there were a long line of tree sellers on his street.

We purchased a tree for our bureau, which is now resplendent with flashing Santas.

'Tis the season for goodwill. Six American soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours. Seven Iraqi policemen were blown up by a suicide bomber today.