Not only is Iraq a very dangerous place to travel to but also Baghdad is even worse. It is the most dangerous place in Iraq for anyone including military personnel. You may not get permission to travel to Baghdad; you will need to get permission from the government to get there. Unless you will be with an armed guard it is not worth the risk.

The road from the Baghdad Airport formerly Saddam Hussein Airport to Baghdad is filled with militants looking to take out cars with car bombs, missiles and car jackings. Tourists that are from the West are not recommended to come to Baghdad. These people tend to stand out and become prime targets for kidnappers.

If you do get to travel there, expect to reach your destination in about 3 to 4 days. There are no airlines that will have flights directly into Iraq. You have to take into account if there are severe sand storms and if there is a high amount of insurgents in the area. You may get all the way to Baghdad just to be turned away.

There are other ways into Iraq on your way to Baghdad; you can get in by Kuwait, Jordan, Iran and Turkey. If you don't have a Visa, at some borders you can buy one for $ 80 USD. But you may run the risk of getting caught. One of the potentially safest places in Iraq is Kurdistan North Area. You can attempt to get into Baghdad this way but you will have to fly into Baghdad.

Staying safe will be your number one priority when you get to Baghdad. For a place with so much history and culture it is shame that you won't get to fully enjoy it. You are always looking over your shoulder and with the food and drinking water not safe, is it really worth the risk? Other don't think so, just because there are troops occupied in Baghdad it doesn't mean that you are more protected.

They cannot be armed escorts for you, there are armed escort services available but you have to trust which ones are legitimate and which ones are not. That in itself is not worth the risk. By hiring an armed service, you may be hiring terrorist and not even know it. Baghdad is a beautiful capital city with plenty to see and learn but it is best learned in the safety of your own home.