If you've ever thought of visiting Iraq, now's the time to go. The Baghdad government, eager to generate support for the lifting of U.N. sanctions, has opened the country to foreign journalists as never before. There are many excellent stories to be had in Iraq, but just as many obstacles to obtaining them. Here, then, is a brief guide to the land of Saddam Hussein:

VISAS

Direct applications to Iraq's U.N. mission in New York. Apply well in advance since the process can take weeks. Be sure to express interest in the effects of sanctions on the Iraqi people -- this will expedite matters. If you're in a hurry, fly to Amman, Jordan, and lobby the press officer at the Iraqi embasy, where all press visas are actually issued. Make sure your passport contains no stamps from Israel, and, if you're Jewish, leave a blank where the visa application asks for your religion. Most visas are for two weeks but can be extended if you behave yourself.

GETTING THERE

Because of the embargo, there's no air service to Iraq. The only way in is the 550-mile overland route from Amman -- most of it flat, brown, monotonous desert. Total driving time: about fifteen hours, depending on how long you're detained at the Iraqi border. (Between 5 A.M. and 8 A.M. customs officials are likely to be asleep.) Note the dramatic change in the road as your cross from Jordan -- bumpy, two-lane blacktop -- to Iraq -- four-lane turning into six-lane superhighway.

HOTELS

Al-Rasheed (****). Big, modern, and world-renowned. Good place for contacts. Many high-ranking visitors stay her and Iraqi VIPS often come to dine and dance. Check out the disco on the ground floor, where a table is reserved for Udai Hussein, Saddam's playboy son. Price $ 140 a night.

Mansour Melia (***). Less convenient. Across the street from the Ministry of Information. Nicknamed "the prison" because Western hostages were brought here after the invasion of Kuwait. Price: $ 108 a night.

Both hotels are surrounded by high walls and monitored by security agents, making it difficult for ordinary Iraqis to enter. Unfortunately, they are the only two at which you are allowed to stay.

Warning: Do not use the minibar or sign for food at either the al-Rasheed or the Mansour Melia because you'll have to pay at the absurdly high official exchange rate. A Pepsi, for instance, will set you back $ 26.

MONEY

Take plenty of cash because, under the embargo, credit cars are not accepted in Iraq. The black market, once negligible in Iraq, now flourishes. Officially, one dollar is worth less than a third of a dinar, but on the street it will fetch more than six, making everything seem quite cheap, except for hotel rooms, which must be paid for in dollars.

GETTING AROUND

Baghdad, a city of almost four million, is very spread out. Though taxis are cheap and abundant, you'll want to hire a car and driver. A good driver can make all the difference in your stay. Not only can he point out sensitive landmarks, the prisons and interrogation centers, but he can also talk you through checkpoints and security guards. He can help to translate, too. Selecting a driver requires some care, though, as many report to the secret police. Try to get references from other journalists. Cost: About $ 25 a day (lunch often included).

Warning: Due to a lack of spare parts, caused by the sanctions, you car is likely to break down at some point.

CHECKING IN

As soon as you arrive, you must register with the government press office, on the ground floor of the Ministry of Information. You'll be required to pay a weekly fee of 1,200 dinars -- about $ 200 at the unofficial rate -- for the "services" rendered by the press office. These consist mostly of official "minders" assigned to escort you on your reporting rounds. In short, you must pay for your own censorship. This is less onerous than it sounds. First of all, in Baghdad itself you don't need a minder; reporters are now free to come and go in the capital as they please. Trips outside the city do require a minder, but you will find that many of them have no love for Saddam and are less than rigorous in controlling your movements.

TELEPHONES

Before the war, Iraq had one of the best phone systems in the third world, but the allied bombing took care of that, so you can forget about setting up appointments in advance. This can work to your advantage, though, in that you can simply show up at an office and ask for an interview on the spot. Most people will receive you, as this is now standard operating procedures in Baghdad.

SOURCES

Iraqis: Iraq is a police state and talking with foreigners can get people into trouble. Fortunately, dissatisfaction with the regime has grown so deep that many Iraqis are now willing to take the risk. The key is getting people alone and out of earshot of the ubiquitous informers. Try visiting hospitals, schools, and souks since doctors, teachers, and shopkeepers all tend to be chatty, and a surprising number speak English. Churches are also a good bet. Many of Iraq's nearly one million Christians have relatives in the West, and they are more likely to talk to visiting journalists. Mosques present a special problem, because the government -- seeking to limit Westerners' contacts with Iraqis -- has declared them off-limits to non-Muslims. Female correspondents can try to get around the ban by cloaking themselves in the traditional black Islamic robe nknown as the abayah.

Diplomats: All Western embassies are closed except Norway's. However, the Vatican representative has been in Baghdad for more than three years and knows about much more than religion. the Soviets, too, are well plugged in and -- exasperated with Saddam Hussein -- very frank.

Sudanese community: Over the years, Iraq has imported many Sudanese workers. About 120,000 currently live in the country. Many work in hotels and restaurants and have seen a great deal. And, as foreigners, they often feel freer to talk than Iraqis.

Relief workers: The U.N., the International Committee of the Red Cross, Medecins sans Frontieres, Catholic Relief Services, and many other Western groups are active in Iraq. Having regular contact with local residents, they are a good source of anecdotes.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Be very careful. There are sensitive installation all over Baghdad, and the innocuous-looking building you might want to snap could house a detention center. If you plan to take a lot of photos, ask to have a minder accompany you so that you know what's acceptable. Now and then you can try sneaking shots, but exercise caution. Government press officials sometimes invoke the name of Farzad Bazoft, the British journalist hanged as a spy.

MAPS

Unavailable inside Iraq -- again, security concerns. Bring your own.

BOMBING TOUR

Get your driver to show you buildings damaged in the air war. The Baghdad convention center, the Baath party headquarters, and the Ministry of Defense are all a must. Be sure, though, not to miss less obvious sites, like bridges, power stations, and refineries, that serve mostly civilians. Check out the giant statute of Saddam located in Zawra Park, not far from the al-Rasheed; many Iraqis, you'll find, wonder why the Americans didn't level it.

NIGHT LIFE

Affluent Iraqis gravitate to the al-Rasheed, but far more interesting is Abu Nuwas Street, a hopping strip of night clubs, restaurants, and bars. Bordering the street is a park where many Baghdadis come to take an evening stroll. Good opportunity for meeting people. For dinner, sample one of the restaurants offering masgouf, a traditional Iraqi meal in which the customer selects a fish from a tiled pool, then watches as it's gutted, sliced up, and barbecued.

By the way, the crime rate in Baghdad is very low, so you don't need to worry about walking around at night.

OFFICIAL EVENTS

Don't expect very many. Foreign reporters are rarely informed of Saddam's whereabouts. However, you might get lucky and run into his convoy, which consists of about 150 vehicles, including communications vans, anti-aircraft guns, ambulances, fuel trucks, troop carriers, and more than sixty Mercedes-Benzes.

SIGHTS IN BAGHDAD

Saddam City (***). Sprawling slum on outskirts of capital. Home to 1.5 million people, mostly Shiite Muslims who migrated from the south. A hotbed of antigovernment sentiment. To sample it, try visiting local health clinics.

Kadhimiya Mosque (III). Baghdad's largest Shiite shrine. Striking gold-leafed dome and minarets, located next to Baghdad's main gold souk. Security at the mosque is tight, but chance encounters are a good possibility.

Mukhabarat Housing (**). A district of expensive solar-powered townhouses reserved for high-ranking members of the mukhabarat, or secret police. Located on the Tigris River near the July 14 bridge -- one of two destroyed by allied bombers -- these apartments came through the war without a scratch, much to the chagrin of many Iraqis.

Abu Ghraib Prison (**). The main penitentiary for political prisoners. Grim, heavily guarded fortress about 30 kilometers west of Baghhdad. Risky.

Colonel's District (*). An affluent neighborhood that is home to many high-ranking members of the Iraqi army. Note the many Mercedeses, BMWs, and Volvos parked on the street.

Synagogue (*). Aging, boxlike building in downtown Baghdad. chance to meet members of Iraq's Jewish community -- population 150 -- before it dies out. Minder required (no reason given).

GETTING OUT OF BAGHDAD

Many interesting sites lie outside the capital, but you'll probably be pressed for time. Here are two day trips:

Karbala and Najaf: An easy drive from Baghdad, these two cities -- held sacred by Shiite Muslims throughout the world -- offer an opportunity to sample the mood among Iraq's Shiite population, which makes up 55 percent of the total. Both cities were the scene of fierce fighting during the March uprising against the Baathist government. The damage is still much in evidence, especially at the immense mosques to see the damage up close.

On the road into Karbala, you will notice acre upon acre of date palm trees lying on the ground. They were chopped down by the military as a precaution against ambushes by Shiite rebels. Good photo if minder permits.

Kurdistan: Government press officers will try to discourage you from visiting Kurdistan, but if you insist, they will acquiesce. A special Kurdish guide and driver are necessary as official minders are subject to attack. Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan, is three and a half hours away by car. There you'll see Iraqi soldiers and Kurdish guerrillas, known as Pesh Merga, patrolling the streets together. A half hour north of Irbil you'll pass through the last government checkpoint; less than a kilometer away, you'll hit another checkpoint -- this one controlled by the Pesh Merga. Excellent photo op as guerrillas will pose in front of a burned-out army tank.

DEPARTURE

You will probably leave by hiring a taxi. As you prepare to depart, the government press office may ask you to take along a visiting Arab correspondent. These journalists are in Iraq as "guests" of the Iraqi government, which pays all their expenses in return for favorable press coverage. If you don't want to help subsidize such coverage, just say no.

cjr  |  archive  |  resources  |  contact  |  search  |  subscribe