Posted on 04/08/2003 9:55:33 AM PDT by HAL9000
BAGHDAD (AFP) - More than 100 children held in a prison celebrated their freedom Tuesday as US marines rolled into northeast Baghdad amid chaotic scenes which saw civilians loot weapons from an army compound, a US officer said.Around 150 children spilled out of the jail after the gates were opened as a US military Humvee vehicle approached, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Padilla told an AFP correspondent travelling with the Marines 5th Regiment.
"Hundreds of kids were swarming us and kissing us," Padilla said.
"There were parents running up, so happy to have their kids back."
"The children had been imprisoned because they had not joined the youth branch of the Baath party," he alleged. "Some of these kids had been in there for five years."
The children, who were wearing threadbare clothes and looked under-nourished, walked on the streets crossing their hands as if to mimic handcuffs, before giving the thumbs up sign and shouting their thanks.
It was not clear who had opened the doors of the prison.
Civilians also took advantage of the collapse of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's authority to grab weapons from an army base, said Group Sergeant Jeff Treiber.
As marines were alerted by radio that civilians had seized weapons, Treiber warned that anyone seen to be armed could be a target of US-British coalition forces.
"With the weapons they are becoming combatants," said Treiber. "If they don't take the weapons they will be fine."
Other residents stole air conditioning units, television sets and furniture from government buildings in an echo of the looting that was seen in the southern city of Basra.
A 19-year-old called Haider said people had been ransacking government compounds since the morning to steal weapons and furniture.
"Since the morning, nine o'clock, they have been looting. They are stealing weapons and I took three doors," he said.
At one stage the marines opened fire after coming under attack from snipers, leaving at least two civilians wounded.
One man needed treatment for gunshot wounds to his stomach and left arm.
But his friend, Abdul Amir Jaffa, said he did not resent the Americans despite the shooting.
"Americans are coming to free us," he told AFP.
The marines became increasingly edgy as crowds of people took to the streets to observe their progress.
"It's a problem with so many people in the area. Its hard to tell if there are enemy forces among them. You have to be careful returning fire with civilians all over the place," Lieutenant Anthony Sousa said.
Troops from the Marines' 1st Expeditionary Force also entered Baghdad on the east of the city Tuesday as thousands of armoured vehicles and Humvees poured into the capital for a showdown with Saddam Hussein's troops.
Was it Miss Marple noting Scott Ritter's comments about seeing children in prison?
Interesting that they "don't know" who opened the jail to set them free. Perhaps with the Marines approaching a jailer did it?
Words fail me.
Start with "Die, you pigsucking scumbag" and work from there.
The children, who were wearing threadbare clothes and looked under-nourished, walked on the streets crossing their hands as if to mimic handcuffs, before giving the thumbs up sign and shouting their thanks.
I have to say that despite following the Iraq stuff very closely for months, this story is the first time that I had ever heard about a kid's prison. Unbelievable.
It sure wasn't Martin Sheen or Susan Sarandon or Mike Farrell.
Friggin' Quote of the Day from Use It or Lose It.
Having said that, I want to state something and then ask you a question.
Since Jan., 1993 it has been the "left" (ie. democratic administration under the "bent one") who kept Saddam in power. But before that ... during GW1 (Bush 41 years) and before that war, (ie. during the Regan years) did not the "right" keep this guy alive? If I also remember Dick Cheney, who I hold in much more high regard than any person in the Bush 41 adminstration, was SoD. During both times SH was being ... well ... SH ... killing his own people such as the Kurds with gas.
So my question is should we also hold people like Dick Cheney just as accountable for what he was involved to keep this regime alive when Bush 41 was president?
Please Note that I'm not saying that the former administrations should be held accountable as I am just asking the question. hawk
Ping
It takes a prison to raise a child.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.