Four years ago today, this was the headline in the decidedly non-"loyal Bushie" BBC News:
Saddam's symbol tumbles down
There have been jubilant scenes in Baghdad's main square as crowds of Iraqis gathered to celebrate after US tanks rolled into the heart of the city. Elated Baghdadis in al-Fardus Square, in front of the Palestine Hotel, greeted the American forces with cries of support and bunches of flowers.
In an unprecedented show of disdain for Saddam Hussein a group of men scaled the statue of the Iraqi of the leader which dominates the square, securing a noose around its neck in an attempt to pull it down.
The metal plaque at the base of the statue was torn off and the statue's marble plinth attacked with a sledge hammer before US troops joined in the effort, using an armoured vehicle to pull the figure down. ...
The "demonstrators" and statue defacers were mostly unemployed Shiite men, who had been milling around Firdus Square when the U.S. troops took the city, according to press reports. Of course, it later turned out the entire statue toppling was a very well orchestrated hoax, but then, we are talking about the Bush administration...
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shias have demonstrated in the holy city of Najaf, calling for US-led troops to leave Iraq. The protesters were responding to an appeal by cleric Moqtada Sadr, who branded US forces "your arch enemy" in a statement.
The demonstration marks four years since US troops entered Baghdad and ended the rule of Saddam Hussein.
Baghdad has been placed under curfew for the duration of the anniversary.
A 24-hour ban on movement by all vehicles, for fear of car bomb attacks, began in the city at 0500 (0100 GMT) on Monday, where four years ago a giant statue of Saddam Hussein was torn down, symbolising the fall of his regime. ...
So, what is the Bush administration's response to the, er, spectacle?
Spokesman Col Steven Boylan said: "This is the right to assemble, the right to free speech - they didn't have that under the former regime."
<%
dim done
done = request.form("done")
if done = "" then
done = "No"
%>
Tell a friend
<%
Else
if request.form("done") = "Yes" then
'sets variables
dim email, sendmail
email = request.form("email")
Set sendmail = Server.CreateObject("CDONTS.NewMail")
'put the webmaster address here
sendmail.From = "webmaster@aspbasics.com"
'The mail is sent to the address entered in the previous page.
sendmail.To = email
'Enter the subject of your mail here
sendmail.Subject = "Check out this website"
'send a specific page or send a site url
dim url
'url = Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
url = "http://www.aspbasics.net"
'This is the content of the message.
sendmail.Body = "Site recommendation from a friend!" & _
vbCrlf & vbCrlf & "A friend has sent you this email and thought you would should check out this site." & _
vbCrlf & url & vbCrlf
'this sets mail priority.... 0=low 1=normal 2=high
sendmail.Importance = 1
sendmail.Send 'Send the email!
response.redirect Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_REFERER")
'Response.write ("Sent to ") & email
End if
End if
%>
"[T]he practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.' Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 84, August, 1788
