***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 21

[security guard pic]

I wonder if there is a shot of him when he's walking with Saddam that shows the same ringon his hand thats shown in the 2nd pic you posted.. that would pretty much confirm it's him (although from what I see I have no doubt that they are the same guys)

And now a big herd of military-age males headed back the other way, across the street from the cam.

Dropped their back packs?

For crying out loud were you watching Shep? I don't think you were. He responed to an email and spent all of about 30 seconds on the subject!

The family rumour is also that he was on the ground in Germany and helped unload PFC Lynch..his sister and grandmother swear up and down they saw him help unload her stretcher. He is almost like The Tourist Guy...everywhere!

I better check the pics from Saddam's palace! ;)

Here is a photo of my other nephew.:

Handsome lad. My goodness. Great photo!

I am listening to several passes made by jets in the sky over Baghdad, yet no bombs are dropping. I seriously wonder what is up today. I am also hoping that we don't feel timid in taking the area next to the hotel just because the press are there. They want to cover a war, well... they can have front row seats.

Reporters light candles during a memorial ceremony in the garden of Baghdad's Palestine hotel for two cameramen killed earlier in the day in US tank shelling...

Yet again, the medium IS the message.

MUST SEE PICTURES FROM 4/8/03
CLICK ON DESCRIPTION TO SEE PICTURE

(1) Iraqi children step on a portrait of Saddam Hussein after it was taken down in the town center of Basra, Iraq, Tuesday, April 8, 2003. Residents later threw the portrait in the river. British troops claimed control of Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, on Monday. (AP Photo/Tony Nicoletti, Pool)

(2) Two unidentified US Army soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division take a look at one of the many bathrooms at a presidential palace near the international airport, southwest of Baghdad(AFP/File/Romeo Gacad)

(3) U.S. Army Spc. Gary Techur, 22, from Palau admires a ping-pong paddle fellow soldiers gave him from one of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s palaces in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites) Tuesday, April 8, 2003. The palace was the second that troops had secured in as many days, both lavish buildings heavily damaged by previous Air Force bombing. The bust on top of the palace is of Saddam. (AP Photo/John Moore)

(4) Soldiers from 51 Squadron from the British Royal Air Force Regiment patrol past grafatti that says 'No Saddam' in the southern Iraqi town of Safwan Tuesady April 8, 2003. The British forces are helping the local people with humanitarian aid. (AP Photo/Russell Boyce, Pool)

(5) A soldier from 51 Squadron from the British Royal Air Force Regiment patrols near graffiti that reads 'No Saddam' in the southern Iraqi town of Safwan Tueadsy April 8, 2003. (AP Photo/Russell Boyce,Pool)

(6) A soldier from 51 Squadron from the British Royal Air Force Regiment patrols past grafatti that says 'Yes to Bush' in the southern Iraqi town of Safwan Tuesday April 8, 2003. The British forces are helping the local people with humanitarian aid. (AP Photo/Russell Boyce/ Pool)

(7) U.S. Marines with the Fox Company 'Raiders' lift sandbags to fortify their positions in the city of Nassiriya, southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. U.S. forces tightened their hold on central Baghdad on Tuesday, advancing street by street and blitzing targets with planes and tanks as Iraqi defenders fought an unequal battle with anti-tank weapons and assault rifles. REUTERS/Desmond Boylan

(8) U.S. Army soldiers pry off the presidential seal from the front door of one of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s palaces in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites) Tuesday, April 8, 2003. The palace was the second they had secured in as many days, both lavish buildings heavily damaged by previous U.S. Air Force bombing. (AP Photo/John Moore)

(9) A US marine from the 2nd Batailion 8th Regiment talks with Iraqi children as he patrols in the town of Shumali, 100 kilometers (52 miles) south of Baghdad(AFP/Eric Feferberg)

(10) Samantha Sheppard, 28, from Plymouth in Britain and a member of the 2nd Light Tank Regiment, is given a pink flower by an Iraqi man during a patrol on the streets of east Basra, April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness. REUTERS/POOL/Jon Mills

(11) A British soldier from the Royal Fusiliers gestures to local Iraqi children during patrols in Basra, southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province of Iraq, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness. REUTERS/POOL/Mark Richards

(12) A local Iraqi boy offers a flower to a British soldier from the Royal Fusiliers during patrols in Basra, southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province of Iraq, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness. REUTERS/POOL/Mark Richards

(13) An Iraqi man gestures as British troops carry out patrols in Basra, southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province of Iraq, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness. REUTERS/POOL/Bruce Adams

(14) An Iraqi suspected by residents of being a Fedayeen paramilitary loyal to Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) is beaten by local Iraqis on a street in the city of Basra, southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's loyalists complained of lawlessness. REUTERS/POOL/Jon Mills

(16) Local Iraqi men cheer as British troops from the Household Guards and the Royal Irish Regiment carry out patrols in Medina, near Basra in southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province of Iraq, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness and want. REUTERS/POOL/Bruce Adams - Daily Mail

(17) British soldiers remove a huge portrait of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) in the southern Iraqi town of Basra(AFP POOL/Toni Nicoletti)

(18) U.S. Army PFC Derek Whitehead, from Moore Haven, Fla., takes down an piece of anti-American artwork from the wall of a presidential palace in Baghdad, Iraq (news - web sites) Tuesday, April 8, 2003. The palace was the second that soldiers from A Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment had secured in as many days, both lavish buildings heavily damaged by previous Air Force bombing. (AP Photo/John Moore)

(19) Iraqi children cheer as British troops from the Household Guards and the Royal Irish Regiment carry out patrols in Medina, near Basra in southern Iraq (news - web sites), April 8, 2003. British officials said a local 'Sheikh' would form the leadership in Basra province of Iraq, as residents no longer under the yoke of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s loyalists complained of lawlessness and want. REUTERS/POOL/Bruce Adams - Daily Mail

(20) Local residents remove a painting of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) in the Iraqi town of Basra, Tuesday April 8, 2003. (AP Photo/Toni Nicoletti/Daily Record, Pool)

CNN, now reporting Iraqi forces have abandoned the city. This is reason for eerie calm over Baghdad now.

"Chicken" Rick Engle today used up his entire broadcast pretty much on the reporter story and calling the military liars.

I saw him tonight. I really wanted to put my foot in his @ss after his report. He's a disgrace, and a perfect example of what's wrong with much of the media.

Actually, since the Ministry of Information has set up shop in the Palestine Hotel specifically because of the presence of the media and therefore the assumption that the US won't attack the building, they are in essence using the reporters as unwitting human-shields. That is a violation of the Geneva Convention, and the reporters should demand that the Iraqis either leave the hotel, or allow them to leave, period.

By staying in a situation in which legitimate military targets (Baghdad Bob and his cronies) feel a relative degree of safety using the Palestine Hotel due to the fact they think it won't be targeted, the "journalists" are complicit in the act, and shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves on the wrong end of US firepower.

Bingo.. I've told many folks that when the media starts reporting on the media, you know they're just filling airtime.

The website is www.ocregister.com. You'll see two troopers on the front page. Click on them. That will bring you to the photos.

I believe the good guys (military)

as I posted earlier today after pretty chicken made his inch by inch turret comment..:

So let me get this straight according to pretty boy:

1) the journalists were filming the tanks.
2) the tank inched it's turret around inch by inch (not swung it around rapidly)
3) the tank had to raise its cannon towards the journalists(14 th floor).
4) the journalists stayed there with a cannon pointing at them that they had been filming aim at them.
5) Shots and sounds should be on the cameras tape or broadcast (if still in one piece).
6) the journalists failed common sense and became Darwin Award candidates.

Is that about it?

Did any of those journalists look like Peter Arnett by chance?
................

If anyone has read any sniper books..there was one famous shootout between two snipers at long distance, and the good guy (US) got the bad guy a split second before the bad guy fired because he saw the glint off the other rifle/scope and shot the guy right in the head through the scope, which indicated the other guy was aimed in on him..a split second mattered...I think that was One Shot one Kill with Carlos Hathcok..could be mistaken as its been awhile since I read that and letters from home and another sniper book..all were intriguing.

That is neat about your nephew. We watch the news for every mention of the C-17...it is a real morale booster for the folks who go to work on it on a daily basis to know what that plane is doing for our troops. :)

CNN, now reporting Iraqi forces have abandoned the city. This is reason for eerie calm over Baghdad now.

They abandoned Bagdad?