Robert Parry, who is serving with the Army in Iraq, has been following the stench comments and offers to solve the mystery:

Hey Kevin...

I think I know what that smell is. From what everyone's been describing, it can only be one thing. It's Baghdad! Yep, the stench of summer trash and sewage has finally made it all the way east! I'm glad to share!

Keep in touch!
-Robert Parry

Parry, an L.A. public relations man before being called up with the National Guard, used to post comments here as BobfromPlaya.