Off we went, Jack and I to issue him a CPIC (Combined Press Information Center) badge and to pick up my renewed badge.

The CPIC is, of course in the Green Zone.

The high security part of the Green Zone, where the American facilities are located cannot be reached unless you have a badge issued from within the Green Zone – by the Americans. But this badging center was conveniently located where people who don't have Green Zone badges can reach it by means of showing two valid official IDs. Or that's how it used to be.

We were told that the CPIC had relocated to another part of the Green Zone and were given the name of the base, so off we went.

We know, through experience, that close by Checkpoint XI will not allow us to enter without Green Zone issued badges, so we head for another one.

At Checkpoint III: "Where are your badges?", "We want to go in to pick them up.", "But you can't go in without badges.", "But how do we get to the badging centre then?", "By showing badges!", "I know that we are allowed in with two official IDs! Here they are!", "Oh, yes. This is true – But only through Checkpoint I."

So Jack and I take ourselves off to Checkpoint I, which is about a quarter of a mile's walk away in a pretty exposed area outside the Green Zone. It was our good fortune that that road was blocked that morning – Jack is very white skinned with red hair and freckles.

At Checkpoint I: "Where are your badges?", "We want to reach CPIC to pick them up. Their location has changed", "We can't let you through without badges. Do you have an escort?", "No. I thought regular people were allowed in by showing two IDs.", "Oh, yes – But only through Checkpoint III.", "They sent us to you.", "Doesn't your American friend have an escort???" , "No. Please see what you can do for us – We can't keep going around checkpoints like beggars." That roused the young man and he took our IDs and passports and asked us to wait.

He came back with two U.S. soldiers some half an hour later. "We can escort you across this checkpoint, but triple canopy will never let you pass into the high security zone without badges."

Both jack and Corinne called the personnel of the CPIC telling them of our predicament and requesting an escort, which the CPIC usually provided when necessary. "There is no way that our personnel can reach you at the checkpoint from our present location. A new entrance will be approved in a few days through which you can enter and reach us."

What is going on inside the Green Zone?

Are the American facilities shrinking back into a small corner where even American reporters can't reach them unless fully documented and "badged"??

Is it bad planning? No planning? Or, what is it that necessitated such a hasty move? Putting a badging centre where people can't reach it to get "badged" can't be very good.

We gave up and returned to the office, frustrated after wasting a whole day. In Iraq, no other badge is taken seriously by officialdom although the National Media Centre has issued us badges that no one even asks for – So we will have to stay put until further notice.