A WELL WRITTEN STORY about how individual soldiers are doing their best to return things to normal.

After arguing with her for 15 minutes, he threw up his hands. "Let's make a deal," he groaned. "If you stay open tonight, and you convince some of the other shops here to stay open too, I'll come by on patrol," he said.

He returned at 8 p.m., as the setting sun cast an apricot glow over Palestine Street and merchants across the street were bolting their doors. Obeidi was staying open, as were a barber, a fruit vendor and a used-car salesman on her block.

As Moore drove up in his M-113, accompanied by three other soldiers from the 3rd Infantry and three from the 1st Armored Division, which is assuming responsibility for the neighborhood, Obeidi jumped up and clapped her hands. "Ooh," she said. "You brought the whole Army!"

Read it all here.