This story is short in every category. No sourcing of scant facts, a very narrow perspective (only 3 individuals are named as sources, a husband, wife and neighbor). A NYT typical disconnect between the title and the substance (how do a couple people living in terror- afraid to be killed for driving at night- amount to the city of Baghdad exhaling?) The story is so narrow it hardly provides any info but it may give a glimpse into current daily life in the neighborhood of Dora.

This is crap and propaganda; it doesn't mention the Iraq Ministry of Interior's unwillingness to reports casualties, the ghettoing of Baghdad in sectarian sections, the walls that have been erected thruout the city and MOST IMPORTANTLY, fails to realize that Iraq is much more than just Baghdad. Just more trivial crap from a mouthpiece of the Bush Administration.

A good report on a still-sad situation. "Days now pass without a car bomb, after a high of 44 in the city in February. The number of bodies appearing on Baghdad’s streets has plummeted to about 5 a day, from as many as 35 eight months ago, and suicide bombings across Iraq fell to 16 in October, half the number of last summer and down sharply from a recent peak of 59 in March, the American military says."

Provides coverage of security improvements in Baghdad relying heavily stories of individuals, but also provides statistical evidence (e.g. "...number of bodies appearing on Baghdad’s streets has plummeted to about 5 a day, from as many as 35 eight months ago...") Good coverage of a vitally important topic.

This is an excellent article about the current situation in Baghdad. It is thoroughly sourced and presents a carefully balanced view, including the need for progress to continue. The authors obviously have made considerable efforts to verify details. The article confirms what has been published in hundreds of articles in media world-wide and on television over the past three months, and is consistent with the observations of every other on-the-ground expert.

For all of this article's detail on individuals in Baghdad, it fails the reallybig test: answering WHY there is a decline in violence in Baghdad. There is no mention that this is likely because the Mahdi Army embarked upon a 6-month unilateral cease-fire several months ago, and that the vast majority of the ethnic cleansing may have already taken place. At least the authors didn't claim that the SURGE worked, but this article is grist for Rush Limbaugh's mill. Thanks a lot NY Times.