The BBC reports that Iraqis have become increasingly frustrated that their lives remain in chaos more than a month after Saddam Hussein’s regime was toppled. Several Baghdad neighborhoods still lack electricity and running water. Rubbish is piled up in the streets. And many shopkeepers are reportedly too afraid of looters to reopen their businesses. There is a lack of security. Ministries are not working properly, and salaries are not being paid.

We’re going to turn now to Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Democracy Now! producer, who is in Baghdad. Just before the program, we received this short report.

Sharif Abdel Kouddous: “The situation in Baghdad over the last few days seems to have grown more and more tense. The looting and violence continues. There are buildings on fire around the city. And at night, you can hear the crackle of gunfire and emergency. Carjackings are very common. The day before yesterday, one of my colleagues was in a car about a few hundred meters down the street from the Sheraton Hotel where we are staying. He watched as five men, two of them armed with pistols, swarmed around the car and directly in front of him. He saw one man point his gun inside the driver’s seat window and fire six shots at the driver. This was at about 2:30 p.m. and happened only a couple of streets down from where a U.S. Army tank and a few soldiers were stationed. So it seems no place is safe in the city. Also yesterday, the telephone exchange building on Rasheed Street was on fire. This was at about 1:00 in the afternoon. I rushed over there after seeing” —

And at that moment as we were receiving the report from Sharif, his report cut off. We are going to turn back to the news headlines now and see if we can get him on the line. Sharif Abdel Kouddous, reporting from Baghdad.