Oscar Jr. Was Here

"Bush Good, Death to Saddam"

Lots of bad Iraq-war news today. Here's some better news, a couple of posts from the Beeblog (which could really use permanent links):

Southern Iraq :: David Willis :: 1646GMT

I'm accompanying a vast convoy of tanks, artillery and supply vehicles which is slowly heading north from Basra towards Baghdad.

So far, the reception has been warm.

As we left the main highway north to snake our way across country, local farmers came to the roadside to applaud. 'Bush good, death to Saddam', said one old man, flashing a crooked grin at the heavily armed American visitors.

As the convoy moved on, past a row of stone huts, children dressed in dirty smocks approached begging for food.

...

Southern Iraq :: Gavin Hewitt :: 1350GMT

We are currently travelling on a road north of Nasiriyah in an armoured column passing through towns and villages and people have been coming out to line the route, especially the young people have been waving, some have been jumping up and down.

Some of the kids have been using the English word water, water and occasionally American troops will throw out a plastic bottle with water in it. One or two other places are being more reserved.

Occasionally you can see someone looking solemn, but just a few minutes ago I saw as we passed a cluster of buildings a little bit off the main road, kids just running across the fields waving.

The reaction seems to have been very positive, certainly along this stretch of road to this column of American armour which is heading along a road towards Baghdad.