Blog on the Lillypad
Sunday, December 14, 2003
 | The Capture of Saddam Hussein
Like most Americans, I woke up this morning to the news that Saddam Hussein has been captured. I tuned in to the news briefing at 7:00 a.m. It was certainly moving to hear Paul Bremer open the briefing with the declaration, "We got him." Everything was quite restrained and proper until they showed a short video and Saddam himself appeared on the screen (opening his mouth for a doctor to look into his throat). Iraqi journalists went wild in the audience, and who can blame them? |
It was really moving to see them start shouting and cheering, and even more moving (and sobering) to hear them sobbing with joy and relief. Even Adnan Pachachi, current president of the Iraqi council, was wiping his eyes. I'm glad that no American in that room tried to hush them, but I thought it a shame that the cameras avoided showing their tears. Nothing testifies to us free Americans what these people have suffered as much as the sight and sound of men crying because their tyrant has been captured. I realized as I watched that I have no real concept of what it is to live in a regime where people suddenly disappear, thousands are whisked off to prisons, torture, and death, and nobody knows where or why. I hope these people soon have peace and stability---and most of all, freedom.
