Free Republic

A senior American military commander declared today that Saddam Hussein's government had lost control of Baghdad to American military forces and Iraqi celebrants and looters in the street. ``Today the regime is in disarray,'' Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks said at briefing at Central Command headquarters in Qatar. ``The capital city has been added to those places where the regime has lost control.'' ``I think we are at a degree of a tipping point for the population that recognizes that the regime is gone,'' he said. General Brooks cautioned that coalition forces intended to continue military actions until the last...

CAMP SAYLIYA, Qatar, April 3 — Day after day since the beginning of the war, Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks has described the advance of American forces toward Baghdad. Today, General Brooks, the chief military spokesman for Central Command, said that American soldiers were at the gates of the city, ready to enter whenever and wherever they choose. So it was a bit jarring to hear a television reporter from Hong Kong question the general about what would happen if the American offensive suddenly collapsed. "Where would the coalition troops retreat to?" he asked. It was a question ready-made for...