Baghdad revels in new dawn

Three young marines sat on the decapitated body of Saddam Hussein's statue this morning casually drinking coffee as they talked about the Iraqi snipers they had seen during the night. The enemy was down, but not yet beaten. Somewhere close there was the sound of gunfire as it echoed along the empty Baghdad Street.

In the distance heavier explosions, somewhere out in the suburbs. "No worries, guy, they're ours," smiled Marine Sergeant Jason Dallam, from Florida. "We're just cleaning up."

We continued to sit in the middle of Fardos Square in the heart of Baghdad, using Saddam's upturned belly as a temporary table for the daybreak breakfast.

As the new dawn slowly edged its way into the Iraqi capital, there was a new atmosphere, a new mood. It was more than just the toppling of the 18-foot-high bronze statue of Saddam that had changed the skyline in this square, which is also known locally as the Square of the Unknown Soldier. The people of Baghdad woke to freedom today for the first time in 24 years.

Across the city, they emerged from their homes and bunkers after a night of minimal bombing and only occasional gunfire. It really was all over.

A group of Iraqis seemed to sum up the new freedom. They arrived at the headless Saddam statue - the head was hauled off by a jubilant mob last night - to carve chunks from the body of the statue. "Guess you guys want to carve a piece of history for your grandchildren?" suggested one of the marines.

"No, we melt him and take back some of the money he has taken from us," said one. The statute was made of bronze and therefore has scrap metal value.

These practical views sum up the feelings of the citizens of the Iraqi capital who are trying to rebuild their lives in post-Saddam Baghdad.

This morning they seemed confused at first, then elated that the nightmare was finished. With the new dawn - even a cleaner, crisper air has arrived with the dousing of the oil fires that had filled the air with acrid smoke over the past three weeks - there is a new mood.

"I was so happy when I woke up and remembered that Saddam is gone and the fighting is nearly over," said Abbas Ibrahim, 44, an unemployed teacher. "You can't understand how desperate the Iraqi people have become.We needed this. We needed a break from Saddam.

"Since he came to power, we have had the war with Iran, the Gulf War, UN sanctions and now this. We are tired, our children are sick and we can take no more.

"So to be freed by anyone, even Americans, is the best thing that can happen to us."

Overnight, there were no scenes of wild celebration. Until nightfall, people drove around the city centre honking their horns and waving, but once darkness fell it was considered still too dangerous to be on the streets.

American troops with night-vision

and infra-red equipment were still looking for Ba'ath party officials and Fedayeen fighters intent upon carrying out Saddam's original urban warfare plan.

Sporadic gunfire and occasional artillery bombardment could still be heard. So most people stayed at home. Those who ventured out were mostly looters. Nabil Hamed Ahmed, 33, was one of them. Bleeding heavily from a deep wound in his back, Mr Ahmed staggered into a group of US marines guarding a central bus depot and told them he had been shot while driving his car.

Marine medics treating him searched for a bullet or an exit wound but could find neither. Then locals told them: he had been stabbed by Ba'athists while trying to loot one of their offices.

"He insists he's been shot, but there is no evidence of that," said hospital orderly Rudy Idrogo. "Still, we'll patch him up whatever happened. It goes down well with the locals."

All over town, the looting of government buildings, Ba'ath party offices and police stations continued throughout the night. However, there is no sign yet of looting of shops or people's homes.

One man who condoned the theft said: "The government of Saddam has been stealing from us for years. It's time we took something back." And they did; computers, desks, chairs, carpets, lamps - everything they could carry or wheel away on trolleys.

"As we advanced and shot the bad guys, the good guys would come out behind us, wave and then start looting," said Corporal Christopher Metzger.

"We watched them hotwire two buses and drive off with them, and then one guy noticed 27 Nissan trucks in a military compound that had been abandoned.

"He waved his friends over and they took every last one. We're not going to let things get out of hand, but after what those people have been through, we thought we'd cut them a little slack."

As dawn broke US marines continued to tighten their grip on the city, hunting down militia still loyal to Saddam in the north-east of the city. Although a predominantly Shia - and, therefore, anti-Saddam - area, many dense residential parts of the north-east are ideal for street fighting.

In spite of the new dawn for Iraq, not everyone in the capital is completely enamoured with the new occupation. Even as Saddam's statue was being pulled down, several women gathered voicing their support for him. Dhaffar al Mansouria, 25, a physical education instructor with perfect English walked up to a marine and said: "I am very happy Saddam has gone.

"Thank you very much. Now, when are you going to turn the electricity back on? One hour? One day? One week? And my water pressure isn't too good. When will you fix that?"

It was an early sign of what might happen if things don't improve quickly for the Iraqi people.

More than 60 per cent rely solely on the UN oil for food programme for their dietary requirements. If their lives are not improved by the war in the short term - and if the Americans overstay their welcome - there could be civil unrest.

In the meantime, it will take a while for normality to return, but there are already signs that life is returning to the streets.

A tour of Baghdad, an insane proposition only a few days ago, is now almost completely safe. In the old town, the markets are still closed, but people have begun to gather again to share news and gossip about the war.

They say they are glad that Saddam has gone, but then they grumble again about electricity and water. "We are very grateful to the Americans, but they are the ones who put out the lights," said Mahmoud Halim, a 50-year-old moneychanger.

"We are very happy today to wake up with Saddam gone, but please, when can we have a normal life? Food is short, water is short, cigarettes are short. Now we are free, but we are hungry."

And retired teacher Ali Suleiman addressed a less-immediate but more profound concern that is worrying many Iraqis. He said: "I couldn't sleep last night because I was worrying about what is going to happen to my country. . . who is going to rule us - the Americans or who?" The Americans, flushed with pride at the welcome they received yesterday, would be wise to listen to such basic gripes if they want the liberation honeymoon period to last.

Today US troops distributed leaflets across the city. Printed in Arabic and English, the message urges the Iraqis to "rise up like lions" against "the paramilitary extremists".

The leaflet adds reassuringly: "We are not here to take over your country or occupy it for any great length of time. We are here to liberate Iraq for all its people."