Protests in Baghdad

I turned my TV on to the news channel for just a few minutes last evening, and there was Peter Jennings (whichever syndicate that is) anchoring a report from Baghdad showing interview clips with two people who were cautiously optimistic about Iraq's future. One was a young man who fled Iraq under Saddam's regime and had returned when Iraqis voted this year, who says he will never leave again. Another was a former Baath party member who said he won't be completely optimistic until his people live in peace. And then they showed film clips of the phonied Saddam statue coming down with "crowds" of jubilent Iraqis and other footage of cheering Iraqis two years ago. The "news reporter" was saying that today's two-year anniversary celebrations aren't quite as big as the "liberation" celebrations two years ago.

Now, let's take a look at ABC online today:

Thousands Protest on Baghdad Anniversary

[...]

BAGHDAD, Iraq Apr 9, 2005 — Tens of thousands of Shiites marked the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with a protest against the American military presence at the square where Iraqis and U.S. troops toppled a statue of Saddam Hussein two years ago.

The protesters back Muqtada al-Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric whose militia led uprisings against U.S. troops last year, and their large numbers reflected frustration both with the U.S. government and anger toward the Sunni Arab-led insurgency.

[...]

The protesters filled Firdos Square and spilled onto nearby avenues, waving Iraqi flags. Mimicking the famous images of U.S. soldiers and Iraqis pulling down a statue of Saddam as Baghdad fell, protesters toppled effigies of President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Saddam all dressed like Iraqi prisoners in red jumpsuits. Other effigies of Bush and Saddam were burned.
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