Life in the Green Zone

Green Zone Checkpoint

The 'Green Zone' or the 'Emerald City' is the moniker for the heavily fortified 4 sq.mile area in Central Baghdad wherein sat the erstwhile Republican Palace of Saddam Hussein. It is home to the American and British Embassies,many members of the Iraqi Government,the Coalition Forces, Civilian and military contractors and many original inhabitants of the place and some homeless Iraqis.It is completely surrounded by high concrete blast walls and barbed wires.


US Embassy in the Green Zone

Inside the Green Zone is the Baghdad Country Club which rocks the most on a saturday night. It is the place to go for your spirits, Cuban cigars and beef. The liquor store nearby, aptly named, the Winery, is doing such booming business that during Ramadan,the roof began to bow inward with the weight of the beer cases! All this in the world's most dangerous city.