Iraqis Celebrate Following Bush Freedom Speech

Residents of Baghdad -- who comprise the dot found in the U.S. military's bulls-eye --
felt renewed and hopeful last night following the historical speech by President George
Bush, in which he promised the Iraqi people he would "rid the nation of its terrorist leader."

The mood was celebratory at the Al-Quaza tea shop tucked into a suburban
mall, three blocks from an army factory.

"For the last three years a dozen trucks each night have been speeding through our
neighborhood, preventing us from obtaining steady sleep," said one English-speaking
customer, Azeez Mohav, who lives nearby with his three children, wife and parents.

"When I requested that they limit their activity to the waking hours, they ignored
this request. Now we will be able to sleep again. By the way, did Bush say
the world would be free of terrorism in 48 hours starting at the beginning
of the speech, or was that 48 hours from the end of it? Because I have
bowling that night which starts at 7 sharp and I must plan for this crazy
Baghdad traffic."

Though Mr. Mohav may not yet fully realize it, Bush's promise to free the
Iraqi people has implications reaching far beyond freedom from arrogant
burocrats and noisy Bath Party vehicles. For the first time in decades, in
just two days residents of Baghdad will get their first tastes of true
freedom and democracy.

This new day, just beyond the horizon, was already dawning on Mr. Mohav's
8-year-old son, Larry, who sat in the rear of the tea shop, watching a
popular childrens' program, Sesame Gulch.

Despite his youth, Larry already knows the danger he and his community faces
because of the tyrant who rules it, and therefore is a poignant symbol of
just who Mr. Bush is fighting for.

He turned away from the television to tell a visitor, "Three men in my town
were taken away by the police in the last six months and we haven't seen
them since. They were accused of bad things, but this was never proven. And
now their kids have no fathers! My daddy told me that in two days our
country will be rid of Saddam Hussein and free like America. For this I am
thankful. Should I get Nintendo or X-Box? No matter."

The dark-eyed child, who says he loves Harry Potter, even had a few words of
advice for their freedom fighters. "Maybe Mr. Bush should do it like more of
a surprise, if you want to catch Mr. Hussein before he runs into his bunker.
He's a smart one, darn his mustache."

Josh Levine, Middle East correspondent
Slathered News
New York
www.slathered.com

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