[EllaMinnow]

From Al-Jazeera, of all places!

"Journalists watched young men and boys sack the United Nations headquarters in the Canal Hotel to the east of the city centre. One witness saw looters ransack sports shops around the bombed Iraqi Olympic Committee building, formerly the headquarters of Saddam's elder son, Uday.

Residents threw flowers at the armoured column as it swept past, just three kilometres east of the central Jumhuriyya Bridge over the Tigris river. Joy at the apparent removal of Saddam Hussein was tangible, with one man beating a canvas portrait of him with his slipper.

Crowds threw flowers at the Marines as they drove past the Martyrs' Monument, just three km (two miles) east of the central Jumhuriya Bridge over the Tigris river.

Young and middle-aged men, many wearing soccer shirts of leading Western clubs like Manchester United, shouted "Hello, hello" as Marines advanced through the rundown sprawl of Saddam City and then more prosperous suburbs with villas and trim lawns.

"No more Saddam Hussein," chanted one group, waving to troops as they passed. "We love you, we love you." One young man ran alongside a Marine armoured personnel carrier trying to hand over a heavy belt of ammunition. An older man made a wild kicking gesture with his foot, saying "Goodbye Saddam".

Women waved from balconies, girls threw flower petals at young Marines leaning across gun turrets. One woman held her baby aloft. Tank crews picked the flowers from the tops of their fighting machines, smelt them and grinned."

[melodie]

that rope looks real good around his neck

[Howlin]

They will just explain all that away by saying we've driven them insane. Or drugged them.

[prairiebreeze]

Now you've brought tears to my eyes again. Great post from the Al Jazeera view.

Prairie

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

"Women waved from balconies, girls threw flower petals at young Marines leaning across gun turrets. One woman held her baby aloft. Tank crews picked the flowers from the tops of their fighting machines, smelt them and grinned."

Al Jazeera, Apr. 9, 2003, as Marines rolled into Baghdad. Wow. Thank you for that post, kitten. Amazing.