Iraqis Not Celebrating Saddam's Birthday

[emad]

<snip>
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - Saddam Hussein's 67th birthday Wednesday was marked without any apparent signs of celebration in his hometown of Tikrit, where residents said U.S. soldiers ordered schools and universities closed.

While Saddam was in power, the government organized festivals throughout Iraq on his birthday. He was ousted from power during a U.S.-led invasion last year.

At that time, about 200 people gathered in Tikrit waving Iraqi flags on his birthday, a celebration that was broken up when U.S. soldiers in Humvees with mounted machine guns arrived and threatened to use force.

Shops in Tikrit, 70 miles north of Baghdad, were open Wednesday and there were people in the streets, residents said.
<snip>
More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4030252,00.html

[pnorman]

1. A possible explanation for the non-celebration.

"At that time, about 200 people gathered in Tikrit waving Iraqi flags on his birthday, a celebration that was broken up when U.S. soldiers in Humvees with mounted machine guns arrived and threatened to use force"."

Shock & Awe ... that's ONE way of getting the Hearts & Minds.

pnorman

[the Kelly Gang]

2. they can always have a shin-gid for Dubbya's big day