Hundreds of Iraqis eagerly surrender

MSNBC Website ^ | 03/21/03

[GLDNGUN]

SAFWAN, Iraq, March 21 — Waving white flags and raising their hands to the sky, hundreds of Iraqi soldiers quickly surrendered to coalition forces in southern Iraq — and some even tried to give themselves up to Western journalists. One Marine traffic control unit manning an intersection in southern Iraq accepted at least 45 soldiers’ surrender by sundown Friday.

... In the town of Safwan, Iraqi civilians eagerly greeted the 1st Marine Division. One little boy, who had chocolate melted all over his face after a soldier gave him some treats from his ration kit, kept pointing at the sky, saying “Ameriki, Ameriki.”

[GLDNGUN]

If that last paragraph doesn't put a lump in your throat, I don't know what will.

[grobdriver]

One little boy, who had chocolate melted all over his face after a soldier gave him some treats from his ration kit, kept pointing at the sky, saying “Ameriki, Ameriki.”

There you go. The way to their hearts is through their stomachs.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Civilians are still cautious, not quite believeing that Saddam's long reign of terror is over, and still fearing retribution like they suffered after the first Gulf War.

[xJones]

At last, now it's happening. That little boy won't have to live under Saddam.

[k2blader]

Bump!

[areafiftyone]

One little boy, who had chocolate melted all over his face after a soldier gave him some treats from his ration kit, kept pointing at the sky, saying “Ameriki, Ameriki.”

Oh this is really giving me a lump in my throat!! How sweet is that?

[shadowman99]

To experience freedom for the first time. So many people in our country take it for granted.

I envy them.

[mattdono]

That little boy won't have to live under Saddam

That's right. That's damn right!

[Rocketman]

Yes it does. I told my son 9 months ago that the only thing that these muslims understand is raw force -- if they see it they respect it -- to see the American planes and bombs will quiet them down. Not just in Iraq but in the entire region. They now KNOW the American gods in the sky are angry.

I also think that Kim Ill Jung over in N. Korea is wetting his pants -- it the case was bad against Saddam the case against him threatening nuclear attacks around the world is even worse.

[Zeteo]

Yes we take our freedom for granted - and yet we are being Liberators to 22 million people of which this little boy was just one of them

We liberated France twice but they do not appreciate it

Maybe the Iraqi people will not forget for a long time how bad it was and now how good it is becoming

[cadillac cowboy]

"Waving white flags and raising their hands to the sky, hundreds of Iraqi soldiers quickly........."

So much for arab bravado / bluster.

I wonder if all islamists have this lack of follow through when not killing unarmed, unsuspecting Americans?

[maxwellp]

Yes, it puts a lump in my throat. A lump of great pride for "Ameriki". My only wish is that the Iraqis take a page out of America's book. Try adopting America's Constitution and our Bill of Rights in a free Iraq. Hey, Iraq, it works!

[KillTime]

Does bring a lump, but why is that part not in the origional artical on the msnbc web site? Was it too pro us so they cut it out? hmmmm

[McGavin999]

These aren't terrorists. These are people who have been forced to live under unimaginable circumstances. They've had no chance for over 30 years and now they are being offered freedom.

This is not surrender, this is rushing toward hope.

[GLDNGUN]

Does bring a lump, but why is that part not in the origional artical on the msnbc web site? Was it too pro us so they cut it out? hmmmm\

The idiots "updated" the story and took out the most heart-warming part. Pigs.

[birdwoman]

Probably because the reporters were told the troops were not supposed to give the kids candy. Just like they aren't supposed to fly the U.S. flags. So if it happens, no one is supposed to KNOW about it....shhhhhhh

[GLDNGUN]

Probably because the reporters were told the troops were not supposed to give the kids candy. Just like they aren't supposed to fly the U.S. flags. So if it happens, no one is supposed to KNOW about it....shhhhhhh

Fine, just delete the part about the Iraqi child having CHOCOLATE ALL OVER HIS FACE. If I was the soldier, I'd sheepishly say "Gee, sorry, Sarge, I guess I dropped it."

;-)

[E Rocc]

That little boy won't have to live under Saddam.

The difference between Bush and Sinkmeister in a nutshell.

Bush is rescuing (many) little boys from a vicious dictator.

Billdo sent one back to one.

-Eric

[Dimensio]

Shh. You'll offend the "all Muslims are terrorists" crowd on FR.

There are going to be some kooks who cannot see that not everyone in the middle east is a bloodthirsty terrorist. These people are likely the ones who think that we should just leave Iraq a destroyed and broken country, get rid of Saddam and leave the people there destitute, broke and little better off than before (funny, I seem to recall that happening a few decades ago after another war...I wonder whatever became of that). Fortunately, there have been fewer than I expected.

[birdwoman]

I am sure there are quite a few candy bars that are getting "dropped" over there! oops! ;)


And I agree, but once an editor gets going with his/her cutting scissors...they can go nuts.