Well, well, well… Saddam is captured.

I woke up this morning and went to plop myself in front of the TV. Flipped through the Sky Movie Channels and eventually went to check BBC 1, 2, 3, & 4. On BBC 2 (in conjunction with BBC News) there was a huge banner across the bottom of the screen alternating between “BREAKING NEWS” and “SADDAM CAPTURED.”

Unbelievable. It is relief, but still quite shocking, I never expected the U.S. to find him. Then watching the news clips, all I can think is, “Don’t they know the bullets come down?” Because the traditional way of celebrating in Iraq is to shoot your gun, machine gun, rifle, whatever into the air on a crowded main street.

When this war started, I was in Tokyo at the orientation of the Spring 2003 semester. Our students were taking their Japanese Language placement exam during the deadline and when they came to the reception with the language faculty, we told them about the war. They had only arrived 2 or 3 days prior. Now, for the capture of Saddam, I am in our res hall in London. Our students keep freezing in front of the big screen TV in reception. “Oh my god.” “I can’t beleive it.” “Did they really?” “Everyone upstairs is celebrating.” The lounges are filling with students watching Paul Bremmer on the BBC.