[Sergeant Bob]

BAGHDAD (AFP) - More than 100 children held in a prison celebrated their freedom as US marines rolled into northeast Baghdad amid chaotic scenes which saw civilians loot weapons from an army compound, a US officer said.

Around 150 children spilled out of the jail after the gates were opened as a US military Humvee vehicle approached, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Padilla told an AFP correspondent travelling with the Marines 5th Regiment.

"Hundreds of kids were swarming us and kissing us," Padilla said.

"There were parents running up, so happy to have their kids back."

"The children had been imprisoned because they had not joined the youth branch of the Baath party," he alleged. "Some of these kids had been in there for five years."

The children, who were wearing threadbare clothes and looked under-nourished, walked on the streets crossing their hands as if to mimic handcuffs, before giving the thumbs up sign and shouting their thanks.

Jailed Iraqi children run free as marines roll into Baghdad suburbs (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=1514&e=4&u=/afp/20030408/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_war_marines_prison_030408163048)

Just the tip of the iceberg I suspect.

[Shalako]

See, the peacenicks told us this was all wrong!

Now there are violent prisoners running loose for heaven's sake.

:rolleyes:

[Preacherman]

This is wonderful! It gives us the perfect response to the peaceniks :fire: , and the perfect opportunity to use it. Next time one of them says "Bring our troops home!", or "The war is immoral!", or "It's all about oil!", just smile sweetly, produce this article, and say "You don't understand, do you - IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN!"

:D :D :D

[seeker_two]

More than 100 children held in a prison celebrated their freedom as US marines rolled into northeast Baghdad amid chaotic scenes which saw civilians loot weapons from an army compound, a US officer said

Looks like the parents are going to pay Saddam a little "tuition" for educating their children...:evil:

Reason #247 to kill Saddam...:fire:

[Standing Wolf]

The self-styled "anti-war protestors" are plain old-fashioned anti-Americans. No matter what the nation does, they're automatically opposed.

[Blackhawk]

Reason #247 to kill Saddam...Did you forget about all the other 4,376,000 reasons? :fire: