[Baghdad Journal] Heaviest Bombardment of the War So Far (March 21)

[Wade Hudson]

[Note From Editor: I've just found the following on the Iraq Peace Team
website and am posting it on Wade's behalf.]

from http://www.iraqpeaceteam.org/pages/diaries.html

We've Been Through the Heaviest Bombardment of the War So Far
by Wade Hudson


March 21, 2003

On day one of the "Shock & Awe" campaign Bitta Mostofi connected by
telephone with Iraq Peace Team delegate Wade Hudson at the Andulus Hotel
in downtown Baghdad...

"It's a little before 2 AM. There hasn't been any bombing for the last 2-3
hours. I'm not even sure of the date I don't have my watch on me.  I think
it's the 22nd.  We've been through the heaviest bombardment of the war so
far.

Our hotel here lost some tiles on the wall by the elevator after having
been shaken - probably 20-30 times - by bombs and missiles. The Al Fanar
Hotel nearby has lost one window, and everyone is okay at the Al Dar
Hotel.  We have been communicating occasionally by walkie-talkie,
everyone's spirits seem to be holding up pretty well.

We saw three fires across the river, one of them may have been a
Presidential Palace.  A reporter from Vienna just told me that the U.S.
military is saying that the other two were military sites, they are all in
a row, maybe they were all on the same street. I don't know if those were
all military targets or not.

One staff person came up to me when Robert and I stepped out on to the
sidewalk to look around a bit. He looked angry and asked 'Why is the
United States doing this?' But mostly people are very calm and composed.
There are many expressions of their faith that lead them to accept what
they cannot change.

Earlier today people at the hospital said that most of the children had
been taken out because the parents are afraid of flying glass. There are
big windows in the hospital. People from the neighborhood came out and
visited with us in the evening.  Some of them said they would inquire and
insist that people from the Iraq Peace Team be trained to help treat
injuries and for others to be at the hospital to be with victims and
interview their families.  Today 95% of the businesses were closed, there
was not very much traffic.

The bombing has been intense but I think our team spirits remain high and
we are relatively calm and committed to stick it out and learn what we can
and report back."