Well, we've seen what they
can do, and likely what they will do.
On the side of a hill
In a land called somewhere
A little boy lays asleep in the earth
While down in the valley a cruel war rages
And people forget what a childs life is worth
On the side of a hill a little cloud weeps
And waters the grave with its silent tears
While a soldier cleans and polishes a gun
That ended a life at the age of seven years
And the war rages on in a land called somewhere
And Generals order their men to kill
And to fight for a cause theyve long ago forgotten
While a little cloud weeps on the side of a hill
Yahoo reports that Saddam has been captured, alive, near his hometown of Tikrit.
Yahoo has the first break: NYT online is running a banner but no story; others don't have it yet.
This is excelent news. Perhaps the fighting will end, our soldiers can come home, and Iraq can be turned back over to her people.
Saddam captured during evening ... taken alive "with several other regime figures" about 12 hours ago in Tikrit, confirmed by multiple sources, but "High probability", "No doubt" ... identity "Confirmed by DNA match", "Has lost weight, has long gray beard, appears to be in good health and otherwise unharmed" "Alive and in US Custody", press conference in about an hour.
Turning up now on web:
BBC
I doubt the fighting will end in the next few hours, but no doubt a lot of fight is going to be gone from the insurgents.
No doubt this will dominate the day's news. Arabic press is awash in it, now on all US newswires, TV. No Whitehouse comment, but Tony Blair says "It is true"
'A senior administration official' told CNN's Dana Bash that President Bush was informed of the raid on Tikrit late Saturday afternoon, and that Donald Rumsfeld informed the President that it looked "promising" that they had captured Saddam Hussein.
They've been working on that positive ID for hours, it would seem...
CNN apparently was well ahead of its this-side-of-pond competition on this story; Fox had its first break about 30 minutes after CNN's (and then was saying Saddam had either been captured or killed).
timber, can you get that screen shot of Saddam in his beard?
What a sad sack. A hobo.
Did they find any empty whiskey bottles or shopping carts down there in that hole with him?
Great job, Butr and timber.
Would anyone like to speculate on what happens now, to the resistance, to Iraq, to our soldiers, to Bush's poll numbers?
I wouldn't be surprised to see the alert levels rise a notch or two in anticipation of reprisals aimed at US and allies.
Bush's numbers will increase temporarily then fall again.
The resistance fighting can go either way. Either a lot more cooperation with the governing council or an all out blood bath as a power struggle ensues.
A lot will depend on how the propaganda machinery in Iraq is handled, followed by corresponding actions to the speeches.
U.S.: 'We got him'
Saddam captured near Tikrit
Sunday, December 14, 2003 Posted: 7:53 AM EST (1253 GMT)
Saddam sports long hair and a greying beard in video taken by coalition authorities after his capture.
CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh has more on the raid that U.S. officials say may have netted Saddam Hussein.
U.S. officials say they believe former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was captured in raid near Tikrit.
TIKRIT, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. forces have captured Saddam Hussein in a late night raid near his hometown of Tikrit, according to the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority.
"Ladies and gentleman, we got him," L. Paul Bremer announced Sunday. The announcement was greeted with cheers from the audience.
Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez showed video of Saddam, who had graying hair and a long beard, undergoing a medical examination after his capture.
Several Iraqi journalists stood up and shouted "Death to Saddam" after the video was shown.
Sanchez said the former leader was not injured and has been "talkative and cooperative," after 4th Infantry Division and special operations forces nabbed him at a "rural farmhouse."
"Today is a great day for the Iraqi people and the coalition," Sanchez said.
Not a single shot was fired in "Operation Red Dawn," carried out based on intelligence gathered over several months, Sanchez said.
"This is very good news for the people of Iraq," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a statement Sunday. "It removes the shadow that has been hanging over them for too long of the nightmare of a return to the Saddam regime. This fear is now removed." (Blair reaction)
A senior U.S. official told CNN's Dana Bash in Washington that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told President Bush Saturday afternoon (EST) of the likely capture.
In Baghdad, hundreds of Iraqis flooded the streets, firing guns into the air, singing, dancing and throwing candy into the air -- celebrating the apparent capture of the man who had ruled their lives with terror and repression for more than three decades.
The raid was based on intelligence that Saddam was at a particular location in the area, the officials said.
Video following that raid -- exclusively shot by CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh -- showed a group of U.S.-led coalition soldiers patting each other on the back -- apparently in celebration -- and taking group photos in front of a military vehicle.
The 66-year-old longtime Iraqi leader was number one on the coalition's 55 most wanted list, and his evasion has been a political sore spot for the U.S. administration. (Saddam profile)
The Iraq war began on March 19 when U.S. forces launched a "decapitation attack" aimed at the Iraqi president and other top members of the country's leadership.
Hours later, a defiant Saddam wearing a military uniform appeared on Iraqi television to denounce the U.S.-led military campaign as "criminal" and to say his countrymen would be victorious.
U.S. troops celebrate in Tikrit, after a raid that captured a man believed to be Saddam Hussein.
At least a dozen audiotapes believed to have been recorded by Saddam, 66, have been released since he was forced out of power by the coalition forces during the Iraq war. The most recent was broadcast in November.
His sons Uday and Qusay -- also on the coalition's most wanted list -- were killed in July, after U.S. forces stormed their hideout in Mosul.
Sixteen policemen were among those killed in Sunday's explosion at Khaldiyah, 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Iraqi capital, the officer added. (Full story)
-- CNN Senior Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and CNN Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf contributed to this report
Butrflynet wrote:I wouldn't be surprised to see the alert levels rise a notch or two in anticipation of reprisals aimed at US and allies.
Bush's numbers will increase temporarily then fall again.
The resistance fighting can go either way. Either a lot more cooperation with the governing council or an all out blood bath as a power struggle ensures.
A lot will depend on how the propaganda machinery in Iraq is handled, followed by corresponding actions to the speeches.
Concise and cogent, Butr.
A lot will also depend on how many more of our brave men and women die in Iraq before we are able to leave.
Blair is to hold press conference .... Bush?
