I watched over and over on Wednesday as a statue of Saddam Hussein toppled to the ground.I watched with tears of joy as Iraqi people throughout Iraq celebrated.They sang, they chanted and they took their first breath as a freed person.
I watched as a little boy chased the head of his former dictator through the streets beating it with his shoes, a symbol of great disgrace in Arab countries.
I watched as exiled Iraqis in the United States formed spontaneous parades in the streets of their cities celebrating the liberation of their country and their future homecoming.
With a hopeful heart I now wait for the next phase of the liberation and, although the fighting is far from over, there is a light at the end of the tunnel now.
A light of freedom that has shone down on the American people for many years now.A freedom that has allowed millions to doubt our president, a man proclaimed a hero by the Iraqi people, and our motives.Yet still there is a two year old inside me that wants to stick my thumbs in my ears, wriggle my fingers and scream “nana nana nana I told you so,” at the top of my lungs.
No, war is not an answer, yes war destroys innocent lives, but the lives lost by collation bombs are far less than the lives taken by Saddam Hussein during his 30 years of terror. If nothing could convince you that war was necessary, I hope these pictures of a new Iraq have convinced you that the outcome was necessary.