Protesters and the police have set up competing checkpoints, schools are closed, gasoline stations have no fuel, cash machines are empty and there are daily encounters between tear-gas-lobbing police officers and demonstrators.
Nervous rebels — occasionally child soldiers — operate frequent checkpoints, and there are long lines for gasoline.
At night, as they torch gasoline-soaked tires to light checkpoints guarding the approaches to the mosque, the militiamen speak of America's planning to uproot Islam in Iraq, to steal its oil, to deny Shiites a voice in the country's future governance, even to bring back Saddam Hussein.
In private, though, you hear complaints like the one from a G.I. wearily minding a checkpoint one night in Baghdad looking for black-market gasoline, guns and explosives.
In the West Bank, about 1,000 protesters carrying Palestinian flags and throwing stones and occasional firecrackers and gasoline bombs fought with Israeli riot troops near the military checkpoint between Ramallah and Israel.
"We are looking for guns and gasoline," said Rasolo Mananama, 40, who oversaw a group of six youths manning the checkpoint.
Guerrilla checkpoints -- typically a handful of men standing by the side of the road with AK-47's and jugs of gasoline -- seem to pop up anywhere.
Checkpoints proliferated.
