Watch part two

Situated in the heart of Baghdad, the Green Zone is a formidable fortress housing the Iraqi government and US power. Many Iraqis see the heavily guarded area as a symbol of occupation and alienation from realities on the ground.

Critics of Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, have repeatedly asked him to abandon the zone in order to promote confidence among ordinary Iraqis.

But has security in Baghdad improved so dramatically that the government will emerge from the relative safety of the Green Zone?

Or do the streets of Baghdad remain a red zone of danger, lawlessness and violence?

Joining presenter Jasim Azawi for this week's show are guests Joshua Muravchik from the Institute of World Politics in Washington and Robert Dreyfuss, contributing editor of the Nation newspaper.

This episode of Inside Iraq aired from Friday, January 2, 2009.

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