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

Multiple ^ | April 9, 2003 | Various

[Prince Charles]

She's gone now, done with her tommyrot.

[Tree of Liberty]

I think we're watching through a chain linked fence

[Consort]

It's 2:40 in the afternoon, I think. CBS cam is clear.

[thedugal]

"The Americans, I hope, are pressing ever nearer." David Chater - 5 seconds ago.. I think he may be a lefty, but he's no Arnett traitor.

[Kip Lange]

Agreed, but for now, let these poor folks blow off some steam. Loot away!

[Kip Lange]

So *that's* why she got that sudden nosebleed...

[Tree of Liberty]

Rick Levanthal's helmet is to small for him, but he's wearing it right.

[Timeout]

They're holding the EPW's in Saddam's TENNIS COURT! LOL!

[Tree of Liberty]

Hehehehe

[kcvl]

Saddam's Rule Crumbles, Looters Rampage
Wed April 9, 2003 06:30 AM ET

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein's rule collapsed on Wednesday as jubilant Iraqis welcomed advancing U.S. forces in Baghdad and rampaging looters attacked symbols of his power.

Amid wild scenes, people gutted official buildings, dragging off anything they could carry from airconditioners to flowers.

"People, if you only knew what this man did to Iraq," yelled an old man standing in the road, thrashing at a torn portrait of Saddam with his shoe. "He killed our youth, he killed millions."

Joyful crowds threw flowers and cheered as U.S. Marines drove into the city from the sprawling eastern suburb of Saddam City, home to about two million impoverished Shi'ite Muslims.

"I believe we are on the last leg," Marine Colonel John Toolan

More...(with photos)



http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2533780

[Tree of Liberty]

I'm off to bed, all. Later

[umbagi]

She's gone now, done with her tommyrot.

She's still running her mouth on the CNN WMP feed ("Oh woe is us, how long is it going to take, how long will it take to put our country back together? Where is the government? Where is the government? Well, no one knows!")

[AFPhys]

On Sky, showing the west part of Baghdad ... Soldiers still very much at war and looking for targets and threats and to protect themselves.

[kcvl]

Wednesday April 9, 2003 Chaos and jubilation broke out in Baghdad this morning amid signs that Saddam Hussein's regime has lost control of the city.

Television showed scenes of citizens attacking images of the Iraqi leader, while others cheerfully made off with whatever they could grab from shops and other buildings.

[Consort]

The Iraqi Opposition/Interim Government needs to provide civil authority, IMO.

[Timeout]

Thank Yuuuuuuu! I closed CBS cam and opened CNN...much better picture quality.

[goldstategop]

The Palis must be in the dumps of black depression. Hallejujah!

[Daniel Ramsey]

I say we just back off a bit and let them vent 30 years of hate, sure it may get ugly but it actually may be therapy, its not like rioting in Watts, these folks now are in shock like captive hostages, they were imbedded in fear and relied on their captors.

Well I gotta get an hour or two of sleep, its 2:43 for me and I've been at this way too long.

[AFPhys]

(And isn't it scarey how they look the very same when they're chanting for Saddam and when they're chanting for freedom?)

This time nobody's telling them what they have to say!!!