and speaking of Iraq…

So my editor, Mark Mooney, is in Iraq for a month to cover the election. As well as our photographer Mike Appleton. Mark filed this report for today’s paper.

Whole world watches U.S.
BY MARK MOONEY
DAILY NEWS NATIONAL EDITOR
BAGHDAD – The world is coming to Iraq to see if the U.S. can pull off this election.

Members of U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry prepare to search homes in restive Iraqi city of Mosul during security mission for Sunday’s upcoming election.

Yesterday’s two flights into Iraq included reporters from Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

At least 200 reporters have arrived in the past week to watch the Americans try to push Iraq’s transformation from dictatorship to chaos to democracy.

Lower in the story is this tidbit:

And the usual flight safety lecture [on the C-130] is done by an airman who shouts, “If we’re going to crash, you’ll hear six short rings and then one long one to brace for impact. In the unlikely event you’re still alive, the emergency exits will be all around you. Find a hole and get out.”