Welcome to Baghdad, city of burnt trees and bravado

By Paul McGeough
Updated October 18 2014 - 7:08am, first published 6:31am
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
The jeans of a bombing victim hang from a burnt tree in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Brave face: Asaad Matoori makes the sign for a trigger while discussing Islamic State at a barber's shop in Baghdad. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Nervous state: on a day when six bombs went off in the city, Iraqi policemen patrol Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
At the shops: two boys listen to music in a store at Baghdad's Mansour Mall. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Rasha Kareem (centre) with her new mother-in-law and her niece at the Baghdad Hotel in the city's Saadoun district. There were 22 weddings at the hotel on Thursday night. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital.  Photo: Kate Geraghty
Normal life: Iraqis at a restaurant in the Karada district of the capital. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'I got lucky': Mohammed Khaddum sits among religious merchandise at his stall in Karrada. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Omaya al-Juburi, sister of Sheikh Marwan al-Juburi, who died fighting Islamic State on June 22. Photo: supplied
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
Daily insecurity: the Rahibat (Sisters) traffic checkpoint in Baghdad's Karrada district. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty
'Some say we're a nation': Sheikh Marwan Naji Jbarah al-Juburi. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Baghdad: Across the road from the burnt tree, a man sits in a high-backed chair – a white paste covers his dark-skinned face and a flame is burning in his left ear.

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