On one of the nightly news programs this evening, news of Uday’s and Qusay’s deaths was said to have been greeted by Iraqis with celebratory gunfire. The video showed sporadic green flares across the Baghdad sky to support this claim. Struck me as odd that Iraqis–who aren’t supposed to own guns, remember–would be out shooting at the clouds for kicks. Then I read this version by an American soldier on the scene:
Fireworks are lighting up my sky…not happy to be alive…forth of july fire works…but rather m-249 tracer rounds and parachuting flares…red rounds arcing up in sweeps…distancing themselves from each other…losing their luster the farther they fly…
When I get up on top of my truck I can pick out from where they are being fired…from the individual guard points…and compounds…I think we do it just to let the Iraqis know that we know they’re up to something…I wonder what the Iraqis think…”stupid americans”…
I think it’s all a scare tactic… I hope it’s working…
we’re just letting the Iraqis know we are out there and we are paying attention…”bring your best shot”…”we’re watching you…watch us…so back the hell off”…
Limbaugh is right: the mainstream press is biased as all hell.
Update (7/23): The aforementioned blogger now seems to concur with press reports about the shooting–after having read the reports on the internet. My earlier questions still stand, and his earlier commentary is still illuminating.