Citizens sound off on Saddam's capture

Man connected with New Ulm

involved

with historic

event

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- United States Army Col. Peter Mansoor, the godson of Denis and Dorothy Warta of New Ulm, reported a bird's eye view of the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein via e-mail.

A West Point graduate, Mansoor is a tank man. He commands the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division near the Martyr's Monument in Bagdad.

Mansoor e-mailed the Wartas with this account of the event:

"My good friend, Col. Jim Hickey, commander of the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry, captured Saddam Sunday in a cordon and search operation near his tribal home of Tikrit.

"Saddam was found hiding in a spider hole underground, hidden by a false wall. He was living like the worm he is. He'll no doubt end up sharing a similar fate to the criminals sentenced at the Nuremberg trials after World War II.

"Celebratory (gun) fire is ongoing, but our troops are indoors and under cover. This may not be the end of the war, but Saddam's capture will go a long way towards finally convincing the fence-sitters among the Iraqi people that the future lies with a freely elected, democratic government.

"There are still plenty of fanatics and religious zealots who will continue to fight. We will continue to send them to an early, but much deserved death. It's Bin Laden's turn next."

Saddam was armed with a pistol, but chose to surrender, identifying himself in English, holding his hands above his head and asking to negotiate.

Hickey called the final raid to get Saddam "the mother of all raids." He borrowed Saddam's words for the 1991 Gulf War, which he called "the mother of all battles."

The event culminated a long process that began last July when American forces began to assemble the evidence and intelligence that led to the capture. Hickey and his men have been conducting regular raids in and around Tikrit, looking for Saddam since midsummer.

Some of Saddam's relatives that financed the insurgency against American occupation, were taken before he was. Others were active combatants in the guerrilla war. A small piece of the puzzle was gathered as each captive was interrogated.

Citizens interviewed by The Journal Monday voiced unanimous support of Saddam's capture as a positive event.

Denis Warta said the skill of the U.S. Army was commendable since the capture took place without a hitch.

"It's a great Christmas present for the soldiers fighting over there. They deserve it," said Mike Eischen of Comfrey. Eischen was working with Bob Burgess at the Brown County Museum.

"I'm glad it was done without the loss of life," Burgess said. "It was done without the usual terrifying misery associated with war."

Library worker Rose Schwab of New Ulm said she was glad Saddam was found and that he couldn't go on long without being found.

John Serna, of Comfrey, a Sgt. First Class working at the New Ulm National Guard Armory, said he was surprised but happy.

Serna admitted he wondered if Saddam would ever be found. Ironically, Serna's son Jay Ryan was ordered to active duty Monday in Watertown, S.D. He will train with the 147th Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Okla. after Christmas.

Specialist Carl Allen of Sleepy Eye weighed in at the New Ulm armory.

"It's definitely a great accomplishment for the military," Allen said. "It goes to show you that if you stick with something long enough, good will come out of it."

Jack Bloedel of New Ulm, a tank man in the Korean War, was brief about the capture. "Good riddance," Bloedel said. "It was a good Christmas present."

Bloedel's wife Bert, also a retired military veteran, had a softer message.

"I'm real glad the infantry took him alive," she said. "I hope it settles things down there. But I know it'll take some time."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.