Hey Joe,
Just saw the photo of you in New Baghdad. If the point was to prove a U.S. Senator can go shopping without the presence of a battalion, you pulled it off -- at least as far as I can see. (But then, maybe the Army public affairs department simply went out of its way, this time, to avoid a repeat of the McCain debacle.)
I know I got on McCain's case about wanting a meet-and-greet with the locals, but then forgetting to document the fact. HuffPost readers responded, however, that photographing the vendors was probably frowned on by the military, as well as the Iraqis themselves, because, as one reader wrote: the insurgents watch TV too.
Given all that, I don't know what to think about this guy selling you the glasses, Joe. Given his expression, maybe he knows he's taking his life in his hands along with your dinars? And, on the subject of risk ... if you were attempting to demonstrate at least a modicum of safety has returned to Baghdad, are you telling me it was too dangerous to slip those helmets for a second, even for a photo-op?
What's even better, though, is the back-story on the sunglasses. Apparently, you needed a little shielding from our boys after they passed you those notes asking when we're getting out.
For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.