Iraqi reaction

Forget domestic politics. Forget the news media, filtered or not. Let's look at what some Iraqis are writing about the capture of their erstwhile leader.

Zeyad at Healing Iraq: The Beast in Chains.

Just as we expected, he was dragged out of a narrow cellar close to a small mudhut near his former stronghold in Tikirit. The timing was a surprise to Iraqis. I was beginning to doubt that he would be captured at all. …

Al-Jazeera repeated that video a hundred times in that hour. I don't know what got into me but I really felt sorry for the man. For the first time in years he looked so human. He was just a typical helpless 66-year-old Iraqi at that moment. I stared hardly at his eyes and tried to convince myself that this was the same man who destroyed Iraq and sent millions to their deaths. I found myself talking to the screen “Why did you have to do this to yourself?”, “Why did you have to put us into all of this?”, “Why didn't you fight back or at least kill yourself to spare us these images?”

I had no reason to, but I felt humiliated. I sank into an overwhelming depression and sadness, and I had a desperate need to get terribly drunk. I should have felt joy but I didn't. And I'm still dissapointed with myself.

He felt better later, or at least enough so to post this. And don't miss his photo galleries from last week's anti-terror demonstration.

Alaa at The Mesopotamian: Mother of Days.

“They Scheme hard, and I scheme; give them time the Kafirin, give them plenty of time” Sadaq Allahu Al Adhim. “And they plot, and Allah plots, and Allah is the best of plotters,” Sadaq Allahu Al Adhim.

Before this, I prayed the traditional prayers of thanksgiving. That I, and the Iraqi people should see this day! This, surely, is the mother of all days for us. The heroes of our valiant Pesh Mergas, and the heroes of the U.S. Fourth division have done it. Now is the time to unleash the Iraqi Counter Terror; now is the time to go for the kill. Let us go after them. Don’t lose this moment. They want to recant and live in equality with the people? they have a chance - otherwise they will have to go. I am too overwhelmed with emotion to write coherently; please excuse me. The foul mouths of the enemies of our people everywhere and the neighboring vultures and hyenas be stuffed with dirt; we will come after you; your time will come.

Long live the great alliance of Mesopotamia and the United States of America and her allies. Now is the time, now is the time; Do not delay; unleash the Counter Terror.

God Bless Iraq; God Bless America; God bless the Allies.

And above all Praise be to Allah the Almighty the Avenger.

Alaa again, in a different mood:

The Ululation of Gunfire again; you should all be here now. What fireworks! You should be here. The Baghdadis are expressing what they really think again. Can you hide this now CNN & others? I don’t like swearing, but for those foul friends of the murderers, of all nationalities and kinds, it is like a spike has shot up their asholes to come out of their mouths. Just now the Miserables are beginning to bomb the streets, out of hatred and desperation. They will attack the people. I tell you, there should be no complacency. Unleash the people against them and NOW.

ays from Iraq at a Glance: A Great Day.

I don’t know what to say.. I am confused.. no … I am very happy.. I am very happy.. .. I am very happy.. .. I am very happy.. .. I am very happy.. .. I am very happy.. .. I am very happy..
This is the end of tyranny.. congratulations .. a great day.. for Iraqi and all the good people.. share us our great day.. I can’t express my feelings.. thanks to the coalition forces and all the honest people who helped in that great operation….thank you thank you thousand times..

Omar of Iraq the Model has an astonishing array of essays and posts, and not just about last weekend's news. Just keep scrolling. Here's one: A Word of Consolation.

In the midst of our celebrations and joy, we forgot our brothers on the other side of the front.
Dear Arab and Muslim tyrants.
Dear Bin Laden and Al-Quaeda.
Dear Ba'athists and fascists.
Dear terrorists of the world.
Dear al-Jazeera and al-Arabia and all independent Arab media.
All the truly evil people in the world.
All those who loved Saddam.
All freedom haters.
Please accept my sincere and deepest contempt to you and your hero.
May God blind your eyes more and more.
May you follow your Godfather through his glorious path to hell.
May you live long enough to face the same destiny.
Take heart, the moment of joining your hero is near.
Have no despair, as in the truly and honestly evil soul of each one of you; I can see another saddam waiting for the right time to be crowned as the next king of demons.
May your idol rest in hell.
God curse you all.

And just one advise, dig a deeper hole. Or make that: holes.

Finally, the anti-Coalition River has…nothing at all. Figures.

Blogs certainly cannot tell the whole story, any more than can a camera, the print media, or US government pronouncements. But they do tell a part; and that part is that we have friends in Iraq.

Thank you.