While the turn of events in Baghdad have been fairly stunning, pockets of resistance in the capital city continue to make things dicey for allied ground troops. U.S. Marines are engaged in heavy firefights at a mosque, a government palace, and the house of a Baath Party leader. One soldier has been killed, and up to 20 injured.
Another suicide attack has also taken its toll: a man with explosives strapped to his waist approached a military checkpoint and blew himself up. There are conflicting reports whether U.S. Marines manning the station were only injured, or whether fatalities occurred.
Most of the coalition's attention, however, now turns to cities in the north that are still unsecured. Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town, could end up being a flashpoint of the war. In oil-rich Kirkuk, Kurdish fighters overran the town, driving through the streets waving Kurdish flags while residents looted government offices. Kurdish military leaders also report they have seized the border town of Khanaqin.
Kurdish fighters celebrate as they parade along the streets of the strategic town of Khanaqin on the Iranian border in northern Iraq, after sweeping unopposed through the town following the withdrawal of the Iraqi army and joining up with U.S. forces, Thursday, April 10, 2003. (Associated Press)
The Other Side - Analysis, angles and opinion on the Web
Awake after a long, dark night, Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - A man-in-the-street account of how Iraqi citizens in Baghdad are reacting, from unbridled joy to deep skepticism.
Saddam Hussein Is Toppled, But Where Is He?, Radio Free Europe - Exploring all the different avenues of escape Saddam may have taken.
Why Kirkuk is key, BBC - Could Kirkuk be the second-most important city in Iraq?
Decoding Iraq's symbols of celebration, BBC - A fascinating breakdown of Iraqi gestures, actions and what they mean. What's the significance of hitting with shoes, anyway?
What Lurks in the Ruins?, AlterNet.org - Are the fragments of Iraqi culture and politics just too complicated to mold into a democracy?
Happiest Day of My Life as Saddam Falls, Plymouth Evening Herald - An Iraqi-American teenager gives voice to his feelings about the Hussein regime.
Posted by uswarblog
at 10:40 AM EDT
Updated: Thursday, 10 April 2003 5:29 PM EDT
