Meanwhile in Baghdad...

Yup, we're on track for elections in 8 weeks...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 -- Citing security concerns, the U.S. Embassy on Thursday banned its employees from using the highway linking the embassy area to the international airport, a 10-mile stretch of road plagued by frequent suicide car-bomb attacks.

The move, which followed similar action by the British this week, reflected the growing difficulty that U.S. forces are having ensuring safe passage along the high-profile route. Precisely because of the road's importance, insurgents have shown increasing boldness and ferocity in targeting vehicles used by U.S. military personnel and civilian contractors.

A large armored bus, nicknamed the Rhino, had been carrying passengers to and from the airport. But it stopped operating last week after being struck by a car bomb. No one on the bus was injured, but its engine was damaged.

An embassy spokesman said Thursday that U.S. personnel who need to travel between the airport and the embassy, which is in the heavily fortified area known as the Green Zone, would be transported by helicopter.

We can't even drive our people to the airport, and we expect people to be out campaigning, or even going to polling places? Wow.