Wednesday, July 23, 2003

"THE BEST NEWS HERE SINCE APRIL 9TH"

Earlier in the day I wondered aloud what the GIs in Baghdad were thinking when all the celebratory gunfire went off in Baghdad at the news of the demise of U and Q Hussein.

One Marine has this to say.
What a glorious night.

Rumor of the day's events began reverberating here after dinner.

We had the same maddening, "no confirmation" here the rest of the world had for the couple hours between 8-10 PM local.

Then, suddenly, about 9 PM, it sounds like the early days of American troops pouring in here, i.e. real-live combat: gunfire everywhere, tracer rounds visible, even illumination (a.k.a. fireworks). The people of Baghdad weren't awaiting confirmation. It was nonstop celebratory fire. The war's critics warned constantly about the uprising of the "Arab street." Well, here it was: celebrating the end of 2/3 of the triumvirate.

The gunfire was so intense that they suspended shuttle service to our housing for an hour and called everyone in living out behind the palace in trailers. Iraqis are known for firing weaponry into the air and having indifference to where it lands ("If God wills" is their fatalistic phrase.). It was an inconvenience no one seemed to mind.

But you really need to read the whole thing here.

(via Instapundit)

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