Posted on 04/09/2003 7:55:56 AM PDT by dead
Jubilation and wholesale looting in Baghdad yesterday signalled the end of the regime of Saddam Hussein as thousands of United States troops met little or no resistance on their way into the heart of the city.
The US military declared that Saddam's rule over the capital had ended. Brigadier-General Vincent Brooks said at central command in Qatar: "The capital city is now one of those areas that has been added to the list of where the regime does not have control."
Marine tanks rolled into the heart of the city, greeted by people cheering, waving white flags and gesturing with V-for-victory signs. "We were nearly mobbed by people trying to shake our hands," said Major Andy Milburn of the 7th Marines.
Symbolically, the Americans stationed tanks and other military vehicles around the very heart of Baghdad - Tahrir Square on the east bank of the Tigris River.
There were wild scenes as residents - some in tears, others singing and dancing - crowded on to city freeways, showering the Americans who rode into town atop their tanks with flowers and the classic Iraqi greeting for foreigners: "Welcome! Welcome in Baghdad."
"Today Baghdad is like Berlin in 1945," an egg-seller told the Herald.
The crowds of mainly young and middle-aged men, many of them wearing the soccer shirts of leading Western clubs such as Manchester United, shouted "Hello, hello" as the Americans advanced through traffic. "No more Saddam Hussein," chanted one group, waving to the troops. "We love you, we love you."
There was no sign of any arm of government. The Information Ministry, which has tried to keep the foreign press on a tight rein, was abandoned and none of the agencies that might maintain law and order was on the streets.
And while the people clearly felt that they had shaken off the Saddam yoke, US officers said there was still some resistance - small and disorganised, but fierce.
But the jubilation in Baghdad prompted the US military to say it believed the whole of Iraq had now reached a "tipping point" at which ordinary people began to realise that the Saddam administration was over.
There was no word on the fate of Saddam or his sons, Uday or Qusay, all of whom were targeted in a "bunker-buster" bombing attack on a residential area in Baghdad on Tuesday.
But presuming his era had ended, a white-haired man in the inner city took a poster of Saddam and beat it with his shoe - a traditional insult. Others gathered to spit on or kick the portrait.
"Come see, this is freedom," the man said. "This is the criminal, this is the infidel. This is the destiny of every traitor. He killed millions of us ... Oh people, this is freedom."
But another old man who has spent the past few weeks quietly telling the Herald how much he longed for this day, said simply: "Now we dance."
The looting was on such a scale that it caused traffic jams in the eastern suburbs as huge crowds ripped all that they could from government buildings - air-conditioning units, ceiling fans, hat-stands and anything else they could carry.
They brought trucks and packed their cars so high that much of the loot fell off as they drove away. With great high spirits, they hijacked police cars and motorcycles, full-length curtains and sports trophies.
The used wheeled office chairs to push their loot away into the suburbs while some guarded their booty on street corners, waiting for family vehicles to return to collect it.
One of them said: "This is our peace dividend."
When they had done with the Transport Ministry and the headquarters of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, a part of Uday Hussein's fiefdom, they torched the buildings. They stole dozens of Uday's thoroughbred horses from a nearby stables.
On Palestine Street, a favourite regime venue for rallies and shows of military and Ba'ath party support, Iraqis looted a Trade Ministry warehouse, emerging with air-conditioners, ceiling fans, refrigerators and TV sets.
Posters of Saddam were shredded, statues pushed over and many people chanted "Bush! Bush!" and "America! America!" as others tore up 250-dinar notes bearing the face of the dictator. Not far away a bare-chested young man danced in the middle of an intersection, madly swirling his shirt over his head.
In a central square a crowd of about 20 Iraqis threw their shoes at a statue of Saddam and ripped a metal plaque off the marble pedestal.
The crowds relished saying things that a few days ago would have had them tortured or imprisoned. They spat at portraits of Saddam and denounced him with great bitterness.
Murtha Odari, a 27-year-old army deserter, said: "He is a criminal - he killed so many of our people. He made us fight against Iran. He invaded Kuwait and now he makes us fight the world. Now we are so happy."
Asked why he had joined in the Saddam cheer squads over the years, he said: "We were scared. We did not have a choice."
Standing outside the blazing Olympic headquarters, 46-year-old Abu Mantazar condemned the looting. And while he celebrated the arrival of the Americans, he had a warning for them. "Before it was so bad for us - so this makes us happy. We look forward to having a new government and an end to this mess.
"Look, the US is welcome here - but not for long, just for a while to help the next Iraqi government get going. And after that they have no right to stay here; and while they are here they must see us as human beings and not as barrels of oil."
Streets in the centre of the city were virtually deserted. Small numbers of men in civilian clothing carried Kalashnikovs and local people said a group of militias still stationed at the eastern end of Synak Bridge were diehard Syrian volunteers.
US infantry units began pushing in from the east and the marines from the west on Tuesday night, planning to link up on central Tharir Square in the centre.
They claimed to have secured all routes into the capital as the last resistance they faced was put down early yesterday.
As his men set up checkpoints at an intersection about three kilometres from the city, marine Lieutenant Geoff Orazem said: "I love being in Baghdad." But one of his men was confused, asking: "Hey man, what city is this?"
Iraqi tanks and armoured personnel carriers were abandoned across the suburbs with articles of military clothing scattered around - apparently those of fighters who had changed into civilian clothing for their getaway.
The US military cordoned off with tanks the Palestine and Sheraton hotels, where international media crews have been based.
When a motorist approached one of the tanks and failed to slow down, one of the soldiers opened fire on him.
US commanders are now focusing on targets to the north - Saddam's home town of Tikrit, still a stronghold of loyalist troops, and the northern city of Mosul.
Brigadier-General Brooks said of the scenes in Baghdad: "That's a very important point in the operation. Militarily, however, we proceed on a plan that says there is more to follow. All of the regime is not gone, there's still regime appendages in a variety of places. There's still capability."
Amid the jubilation, some Baghdad citizens remained indoors, still wary of the advancing troops and not yet certain that Saddam's influence has disappeared. Baghdad radio could be heard faintly transmitting patriotic songs.
Late yesterday, the International Committee of the Red Cross temporarily suspended its operations in the city after one of rescue convoys came under fire, leaving at least one person seriously injured.
with Reuters, Press Association
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How do you freeze permafrost?
Thaw him out first?
Funny, they keep talking about the Iraqi people, but all I see are men.
Maybe some enterprising liberal Iraqis will introduce affirmative action regulations for pulling over statues.
How American!
You're not looking good enough. There are women all over the place.
N - O - T - H - I - N - G!
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