The Fall Of Baghdad, 4 Years Later

The Elimination Of Saddam Hussein Has Come With More Problems And Danger For Most Iraqis

(CBS)  It was an unforgettable image: a lone Iraqi striking blow after blow on that towering statue of Sadaam Hussein.

"It was always my wish in life to destroy that statue," said Khadim Yabani.

And four years ago, he finally got his wish, reports CBS News' Martin Seemungal. Yabani remembers the moment as if it were yesterday.

"We were so happy," he said. "We got rid of the tyrant."

Yabani, a Sunni, became the symbol of a nation liberated.

But then a violent insurgency erupted, followed by vicious sectarian fighting between the minority Sunnis, who had ruled for so long under Saddam, and the restive Shiite majority.

The former Olympic class weightlifter remembers the days when virtually every neighborhood was safe to walk in.

His passion is motorcycles. He spends hours at his workshop. But in Baghdad there's more demand for heavily armored vehicles than Harley Davidsons.

Yabani says life for ordinary Iraqis just keeps getting worse.

"We are going into the 5th year and we are suffering from problems more than we used to suffer in Saddam's time," said Yabani.

And the battle for the future of this country, which seemed to end decisively with the fall of Saddam, is still raging.

Anniversary celebrations have taken on a dangerous edge, adds Seemungal. Muqtada al Sadr, the fiery anti-American Shiite cleric, has called on his supporters to gather tomorrow in the holy city of Najaf to demonstrate against the Americans.

[randalds]

How many Americans would buy something that incredibly stupid? I would guess about 20 to 30 percent.
Posted by waynabq at 01:58 AM : Apr 09, 2007

I think any of us could name at least 5 or 6 on this blog who would be that ignorant. lol! Lars, lieberman, super as*sho...I mean patriot, dl what's his name, glwalsh3rd (a newer one...or a recycled older one...hard to tell with all the trolls in here), singingdi*ck and on and on and on.

[waynabq]

If George Bush told his followers something completely ludicrous and made up:

"Car bombs are just a recent new way Iraqi citizens have used to celebrate the joy and happiness of the American occupation of their country."

How many Americans would buy something that incredibly stupid? I would guess about 20 to 30 percent.

[godi70]

I am convinced that the whole war from USA against Iraq was an enormous mistake.
The modern world history will soon or later giving free that Sadam Husseim was definitely the Iraqi's folk culture and idiosyncrasy. He had the whole control in a folk that we do not know. That was a regrettable failure of respect for these folk.

Now if we leave this place the example like in Yugoslavia will be a reality again. Massacre among theses folks and Sadam Husseim will be again the authority and religious kind of life.

We the American had not the right to destroy Iraq in the name of a ghost atom bomb.
A big mistake and I feel guilty not to have the authority to accuse this government of genocide.

I love democracy but here we are confronted with an abuse of the force from our system against other culture and idiosyncrasy other nation.

We are a world with a system of life without moral or respect for others culture. We believe in the money and theirs effect and achievement. Shameless way of life

[feelfree1]

Re: "It was an unforgettable image: a lone Iraqi striking blow after blow on that towering statue of Sadaam Hussein."

It was a highly staged, made for T.V. propaganda production, where very few Iraqis were even present.

Even ABC Nightline exposed the ridiculous psy-ops hoax of the "Saddam statue" event. It is shocking to see CBS prop up this nonsense as a significant and credible event, for years later.

One of Ahmad Chalabis goons was even spotted at this contrived event. CBS should be ashamed for failing to correct their mistake.

CBS- why not show us a panned out photo, to give us an idea of how many "iraqis" were there? Let me know if you need a source.

Here is one, to get you started:

www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2842.htm

[inventagod]

'"Senator McCain, I just read in the Internet that you said there are areas in Baghdad that you can walk around freely," a reporter asked.

"Yeah, I just came from one," McCain replied.

But backing up that stroll through the market were ten armored Humvees, soldiers with rifles, and two Apache attack helicopters circling overhead. '

[hillaryin08]

First sign of the the enemy defeat, their allies are starting to break ranks..........

WASHINGTON %u2014 Top Senate Democrats on Sunday appeared to reject their leader's suggestion that lawmakers set a date for cutting funds off for U.S. troops in Iraq, even as they prepare for a veto from President Bush on a supplemental spending bill that sets a timetable for withdrawal.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he would not back a plan %u2014 to be introduced this week by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and already endorsed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid %u2014 to cut off money for the Iraq war effort by March 31, 2008. That's the same date Democrats included in the emergency supplemental spending

[joanpz]

Nope, no eggs, but the Iraqis are coming in to Baghdad to PROTEST the Iraqi war & devastation on tomorrow's anniversary...hope that someone with commonsense will "right" this situation...

[grazinggoat]

CBS: 'Yabani says life for ordinary Iraqis just keeps getting worse.'

-miSSion ACcoMPliSHSHSHSHED!
GOT EGGS, Iraqis?