Baghdad residents began fleeing the capital for havens in the countryside, travelers arriving from other areas of the country said.

Some Baghdad residents, disinclined to look on the bright side after years of difficult living, did not seem prone to finding one in the storm.

Iran said it would retaliate for the attack and warned Baghdad residents living near military or economic targets to leave their homes.

Many Baghdad residents feel torn about the new plans for a lower-profile American presence.

"The most simple things, all the things one took for granted no longer exist," a Baghdad resident said.

The next three days are waterless, and few Baghdad residents have the containers to store enough water to last.

Generally speaking, Baghdad residents receive electricity for only about three hours at a time.

Most Baghdad residents were left with little or no running water for more than a week.

Baghdad residents still have power for only five to eight hours a day.

Many Baghdad residents will no longer stray from their own neighborhoods.