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Hussein, one of the McClatchy Baghdad bureau staffers who have contributed so much to our newspapers' coverage of the war in Iraq, couldn't contain his joy.

"Mike," he said in a tremulous voice. "For the first time since 2003, today we had no violent deaths in Baghdad!"

We looked at each other and shook hands.

Even though I'd only been here two days when he made the announcement last night--based on a library catalogue of official reports, Iraqi TV news, stringers and our own reporting, I knew how much that meant to him and all Baghdadis.

A dozen cameramen aimed their lenses from tripods at the back of the room. Microphones and tape recorders were pointed toward the table, where three Iraqi generals sat, and at the lectern, behind which stood an Italian NATO general with one of the world's great mustaches. Klieg lights glared over this small stage, and four dozen reporters sat in chairs, clutching blue folders filled with bilingual background papers and bios.