'All the peasants were cheering us, even the soldiers'

National Post

[the Deejay]

"They probably have pictures with Saddam on one side and GW on the other and switch it around depending on whose troops are in town."

I highly doubt it. Saddam never gave them anything. Not even food. He pocketed all the oil money for himself, and kept the poor people in want. That's how things work in that part of the world. I've lived throughout Asia and that's how the countries live. They have to have slaves. I think they are just a bit worse in Iraq.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Speaking of quagmire, I believe that Saddam knew that a significant number of his troops would desert and, with the exception of a few fanatics, pulled those most loyal in close to Baghdad. He also hoped that the U.S. would be slowed by the wave of deserting soldiers, which is obviously not true as they are simply being passed up by the combat troops to be rounded up by mop up forces.

[sakic]

While I truly hope everything goes as well as you predict it will I can't figure out how Iraq won't become a fundamentalist Islamic regime similar to Iran after Saddam and his scumbags have been removed.

[Pining_4_TX]

I didn't mean to imply that they have any affection for Saddam, merely that their support goes to whoever is in power at the moment. It's safer that way, and in the case of the Americans, it's a way to encourage the handouts to start.

[faithincowboys]

well, i hope you're wrong. i think iran will fall before long. i hope iraq retains it's territorial integrity.

that would be a terrible development indeed if the iraqi shia became a part of iran. that would introduce a huge number of shia fundamentalists in a country where the secular forces are slowly making gains!!

that is definitely a difficult region to operate in!

[Allan]

However, it must be said they are Shia Muslims.
The area we have been travelling through is predominantly Shia.

Saddam Hussein is a Sunni and a northerner.
The Sunni strongholds lie around Baghdad and to the north.

There is a terrific danger this could turn out to be a Shia-Sunni civil war.
God help us if that happens.
I am certain the forces holding out in the south are Sunnis
who are terrified by the thought
of surrendering in the Shia strongholds.
The Shia region ends just at the outskirts of Baghdad.

[smiley]

Are you LISTENING liberal media????????????????????

[faithincowboys]

oh i know they are. rather than wait for us, they were directed to go south and wreak havoc on us. utterly predictable!!!

[auggy]

"They will always walk taller than the puke appeasers. "

Isn't that the truth. Excellent username, "Faithincowboys"

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Hey, Saddam --
All your peasants are belong to us

[Mitchell]

There is a terrific danger this could turn out to be a Shia-Sunni civil war.

Fox just carried a report from Sky News that there is a popular uprising among the Shia population in Basra against Saddam Hussein's forces. The report said that the rebellion is being aided by the British troops who are surrounding the city.