A heroes' welcome

News of the World ^ | April 6, 2003

[MadIvan]

OUR LIBERATORS: Iraqi youngsters greet the US tank column in Baghdad

BLASTED: Shattered tank at roadside

FLYING ALONG: The column has a choice: Baghdad city centre or airport

DESTROYED: Tanks pass blazing lorry

SUICIDE ATTACK: Bullets rip through car which tried to ram the tank column

IT MISSED: The car - perhaps loaded with explosives - rams central barrier

DNA TEAM IN HUNT FOR SADDAM

SPECIAL forces operating in Baghdad have mobile DNA testing kits to instantly confirm the capture of Saddam Hussein. British and American intelligence are convinced the dictator is still alive and want to capture or kill him to emphasise a Coalition victory.

But they fear Saddam might try to dupe them with one of his many body doubles while he flees to safety.

The kits allow British or US special forces to take a saliva sample to compare instantly with DNA already obtained from Saddam's daughters Raghda and Rana.

DNA was taken in Jordan when the women accompanied their husbands who defected there in 1995.

Bunker

A senior military source said: "You can be sure we will know if we have the real Saddam Hussein."

British intelligence believes Saddam is still in Iraq, possibly hiding in a bunker beneath a palace in east Baghdad or in his home town of Tikrit 110 miles away.

They also believe the Saddam shown in a walkabout in the Iraqi capital on Friday was a body double.

The despot's family may already have fled to a luxury hotel in the port city of Latakiya, Syria.

Iraq's former chief of staff Nizar al-Khazraji said Saddam would "fight to the last breath or commit suicide if hostile forces get close to him".

ALLIED tanks sliced the city of Baghdad in two yesterday—and their crews were greeted as heroes.

Families of Iraqis cheered and waved as a column of US armour took an astonishing cruise through the city.

Some surrendering Iraqi soldiers leapt on to the tanks, begging to be made prisoners of war.

The reaction of the people proved that Saddam's 24-year reign of tyranny was on its last legs.

Twenty US Abrams tanks and 10 Bradley armoured vehicles swept into the city from the south just 16 days and 14 hours after the first bombs of the war fell on the capital.

Operation Thunder Run came within TWO MILES of Saddam's bunker before swinging west to link up with US forces who had captured Baghdad airport.

As the incursion went ahead US Marines were fighting with FIXED BAYONETS on the city's outskirts.

A platoon clashed in hand-to-hand combat in a reed-covered marsh with pro-Saddam volunteers from Jordan, Egypt and Sudan.

Fierce

US Col B.P. McCoy said: "It's like a jihad. They were given a rifle and told to become martyrs."

Back in the city, the column of tanks had faced fierce resistance as well as cheers.

Before reaching the airport it left behind 30 burned-out T72 tanks and 1,000 dead Republican Guards.

US Colonel David Perkins said: "We attacked down Route 8 and we attacked all the way through the city. We basically own the main road going into Baghdad, so we've cut the city in half. There was some very intense fighting."

The Abrams were attacked with shells, rocket propelled grenades and machine guns. One Saddam supporter was riddled with bullets as he tried to ram a tank in his car— perhaps a suicide bomb attack. Even a fire engine attacked the column— and was obliterated.

American journalist Greg Kelly was with the US tanks. Describing one man surrendering, he said: "Troops are telling him to lay down his weapons and get on the deck. It's the first time we've seen that." Later he shouted: "Watch out! there's a guy, don't shoot him! Another surrendering. Unbelievable."

One tank was set on fire in an underpass. As the crew tackled the blaze the commander sat on his turret, coolly taking cowboy-style potshots at Iraqis fighters with his 9mm pistol.

The Freedom Drive came on a day of success for the Coalition. But top brass—still nervous of a last-ditch chemical warfare attack—refused to say the war was nearly over.

Forceful

And the Americans are determined to take the battle into Baghdad if necessary.

"We're not going to tip-toe into the city, it will be a forceful knock-out punch every time we go in," said Marine Captain Matt Watt.

"We'll make sure there's no capability for the enemy to resist us, we'll go in shooting up every time."

But many Iraqis believe it will soon be all over. "This is it," said Nour Khaled, 48, a mother of two. "We're confronting the mightiest army in the world."

The mood was similar across Iraq. In Aziziyah cheering residents handed out cans of Coke and cigarettes to Marines entering the town.

Children held out flowers to passing Marines.

Iraqi soldiers and senior officials of Saddam's Ba'ath Party fled two days ago. Yesterday the delighted people made throat-slitting gestures at pictures of the dictator.

IN LONDON Prime Minister Tony Blair was told at a War Cabinet meeting of the collapse of the Republican Guard.

But he was warned by Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon there was still a tough battle ahead.

[MadIvan]

Just an update. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[conservativeammom]

Thank you Ivan...your reports and updates are great. I look forward to them.

[KeyWest]

MadIvan

I watched some BBC coverage on CSPAN here in the US and they are so biased it is pathetic. Gave equal weight to the US saying and showing they were in control of Baghdad airport and the Iraqi flack saying they had retaken it. Plus started a segment on Bush with some insults (a drunk, draft dodger, never served in Vietnam but sending others to fight, religious nut) that clearly said where they were coming from. Actually worse than our NPR, also gov subsidized.

How do you stand that BBC junk every day?

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Awesome!! Thanks, Ivan.

[dts32041]

One tank was set on fire in an underpass. As the crew tackled the blaze the commander sat on his turret, coolly taking cowboy-style potshots at Iraqis fighters with his 9mm pistol.

Gees thought we got rid of Oddball and his Luger in WWII.

BTW if there is a movie made about this little cavalery run, that scene woun't be in the movie, cuase no one in his right mind would do that.

[Carolina]

Wait, wait. How can this be? Baghdad Bob says the Allies are trapped...taking a pounding...nowhere near Baghdad...

What will the "official" word be tomorrow!

Sky News David Chater's report playing right showing the Iraqis victory over the Americans.

[demnomo]

I am so worried for those cheering, waving people. This excursion was just that...an excursion. The Ba'athist scum will waste no time in rounding up these poor people and making an example of them. (Plus, the desperate regime doesn't want witnesses to this--it would counter their lies about the Coalition being routed.)

All I can think of is that poor young woman who was beheaded and another woman who was hung for merely waving at a convoy early on in this campaign. God protect them.

[thatdewd]

BTTT!

[Oldeconomybuyer]

bttt

[Budge]

Thanks MI...and a bump for you.

[cake_crumb]

Thank you! The British press has been MUCH more objective in reporting on this war than the American press (except Fox)!

[JaimeD2]

But many Iraqis believe it will soon be all over. "This is it," said Nour Khaled, 48, a mother of two. "We're confronting the mightiest army in the world."

The mood was similar across Iraq. In Aziziyah cheering residents handed out cans of Coke and cigarettes to Marines entering the town.

I appreciate the article, but this segment is pretty poorly written. I read Mrs. Khaled's comments in another source, and her next words were, "We will all surely die." (I paraphrase since I don't remember exactly). That's not exactly in the same mood as the cheering residents of Aziziyah.

[doug from upland]

Excellent info on the DNA hunt. I asked the DNA question back on 3/16 ---- CLICK.

[sweetliberty]

"The mood was similar across Iraq. In Aziziyah cheering residents handed out cans of Coke and cigarettes to Marines entering the town.

Children held out flowers to passing Marines."

You just know that these stories are getting the Bush-haters' panties in a wad.

Keep up the good work Ivan. Your articles on the war have been superb.

[Mister Baredog]

Back in the city, the column of tanks had faced fierce resistance as well as cheers.

Last night around 12:00AM I heard a live embed report from Bob Arnot with pMSNBC in Baghdad, the crowd was yelling BUSH, WE LOVE BUSH!, I went to bed smiling.

[Mister Baredog]

Thank you! The British press has been MUCH more objective in reporting on this war than the American press (except Fox)!

My guess is that IVAN has applied MUCH discretion to his postings. The British press is basically outrageous for the most part, don't forget most of them have been calling Tony Blair "Bush's poodle" for the past 18 months.

[MadIvan]

My guess is that IVAN has applied MUCH discretion to his postings.

Your guess is incorrect and insulting. The sheer number of articles I post and the variety of sources I post from should put paid to that silly idea immediately.

Ivan

[Mister Baredog]

Your guess is incorrect and insulting.

No insult intended, I look foreward to your posts. It's just with all the drivel published in your many sources I just thought you were applying your own form of discrete selection. You obviously READ what you post.

[MadIvan]

Well there are precisely two newspapers that are vehemently anti-war:

The Independent
The Daily Mirror

The others are:

The Financial Times
The Sun
The News of the World
The Times
The Telegraph
The Scotsman
The Evening Standard

Which I post from - the Daily Mail and Daily Express, also pro-war, do not publish their articles on line.

Most of the "filtering" I do, is intended to prevent repetition, not shield everyone from a "tide of drivel". There is a tide of good reporting, actually.

Regards, Ivan