Two US soldiers and two journalists are killed and 15 people wounded in an Iraqi rocket attack on a US communications centre just south of Baghdad, US military officials say.
Pictures broadcast this morning from Baghdad:
[ul]
[li]Iraqis gathering at a circle in the city center are about to put a noose around the neck of a large Saddam statue and topple it, a la Lenin statues during the Soviet collapse.[/li]
[li]A sign that initially said “Humanshields” now altered and held by Iraqis to say “Go Home Humanshields You U.S. Wankers” as they seem elated to see coalition forces in Baghdad.[/li]
[li]US Military casually standing around in Baghdad center, with Iraqi civilians milling about them.[/li][/ul]
They just said it’s an M88(?) Tank Retriever, so technically not a tank. It sure looks like someone is going to get hurt/killed when that thing comes down. And the rope they have looks just a little short.
Also, further reports warn of fierce fighting from pockets of resistance yet to come, so it’s not over quite yet but things do look promising.
Some bonehead soldier flipped a US flag over the statue’s head, then two minutes later got ordered to take it down. He’s now trying to fly an Iraqi flag from the statue.
The pictures that have been broadcasting over the past half hour are striking.
After toppling the statue many people began jumping and dancing upon the fallen effigy of Hussein, others began striking the statue with what appeared to be a length of chain and after beheading the statue a group began dragging the head through the central square.
They look like very happy people. Their future in uncertain but a future without the regime of Sadam Hussein appears to be preferable to anything that might come in the future.
They’re still fighting in other parts of the city and I would believe that those offering the resisitance are members of the Republican Guard. They must know that after they fire their last bullet or launch their last grenade, their time on this earth may be very brief. They are the enemies of the Iraqi people and I do not believe they will be granted much in the way of mercy.
In other news, crowds have begun celebrating in the streets of Baghdad. US soldiers went into the heart of Baghdad and helped jubilant people celebrate by toppling a huge statue of Hussein.
The war has so far cost 96 U.S. dead, 30 British dead and unknown thousands of Iraqi military and civilian casualties. It has left behind a heavily damaged country which faces growing humanitarian needs.
Kurd separatism may complicate Iraq rebuilding. Many Kurds see themselves as less Iraqis than Kurds and that may be could be a thorny issue as Iraqis try to fasten a post-Saddam government. And with signs of Saddam’s power eroding in historically ethnic-Kurdish territory, debate over the region’s future is expected to intensify.
At present, the Kurds are assuring U.S. officials they are not interested in independence and will be content with a measure of autonomy in the new Iraq.
Enthusiastic Iraqi exiles stormed the Iraq embassy in London in celebration of his power collapse and smashed portraits of Saddam, police and the exiles’ supporters said.
The embassy has been empty since Britain ordered Iraq’s diplomats out of the country at the US’s request.