President Bush is "pleased with the progress" in Iraq. War critics, including congressional members of both parties, challenge that assessment.

Is there an element of truth in both arguments? As these two accounts of life in Baghdad show, it depends on who's talking.

Iraqis interviewed by a Los Angeles Times reporter say they have learned to enjoy their new-found freedoms, even in the face of a spike in terrorist attacks.

Others quoted by two Washington Post reporters express frustrations with the failure of the Iraqi government and the U.S. military to provide for the basics of life — security, drinking water, electricity, jobs.

Progress? You decide.

— David Birdwell, national/foreign news editor