Anti-war protesters clash with riot gardaí
US Marines seized a vital bridge over the Tigris river and pushed along its northern bank towards the Iraqi capital, while the 3rd Infantry Division thrust northwards after encircling the Shi’ite Muslim shrine city of Karbala, smashing two of President Saddam Hussein’s elite Republican Guard divisions that blocked their way.
US forces also seized a dam over the Euphrates River southwest of Baghdad. A military source said vanguard units were just 20 miles from the southern edges of the capital.
Some troops had crossed to the east bank of the Euphrates, bridging the main natural obstacle on their route to Baghdad. Forces heading up the Tigris valley from the southeast were as close as 25 miles to the city, the source said.
“The dagger is clearly pointed at the heart of the Baghdad regime,” US Brigadier General Vincent Brooks said.
The two powerful US columns are now closing on the capital from the south and southeast after an aerial bombardment that battered elite units guarding the city for more than a week.
Brig Gen Brooks said the thrusts had taken some US troops across a “red line” around Baghdad which the military believed could trigger a poison gas attack by Iraqi forces.
“If it’s used, we’ll be prepared for it being used,” he said. Brig Gen Brooks said US troops had destroyed the Baghdad Division of the Republican Guard near the town of Kut, 170 km (105 miles) southeast of Baghdad, and had fought two other Guard divisions.
Two huge US bombs exploded near Kut, sending up giant mushroom clouds. In Baghdad, bombs killed several motorists and hit a Red Crescent maternity hospital. At least five cars were crushed, their drivers burned to death.
Hospital sources said at least 25 people, including patients, were wounded in daylight raids which also pulverised buildings in a trade fair, next to a government security office.
Meanwhile, in Dublin, anti-war protestors clashed with gardaí in ugly scenes outside the Dáil last night.
The Garda riot squad dragged dozens of protesters away from the exit to Leinster House and one man was arrested.
Up to 500 protestors gathered to demonstrate against the war in Iraq at around 7.30pm. Around 50 uniformed gardaí, four members of the mounted police unit, two from the dog unit and the garda helicopter were on hand to police the protest.
The peaceful rally turned sour when gardaí began to push protesters back to clear a passage for Fianna Fáil TD Seán Power’s car to leave the building.
Protesters sat down on the road and threw themselves in the front of the car to impede its passage.
The situation worsened when 21 riot police arrived at the scene. Gardaí in full riot gear began to drag away protesters in an attempt to clear a route out of Leinster House.
Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins was among the protesters dragged away by the riot squad and an RTÉ camera crew filming the proceedings were physically removed from behind the barrier.
Although the riot gardaí did not use batons or shields, protesters complained they used excessive force and were not wearing identification numbers.
Uniformed gardaí were wearing numbers clearly on their tunics. Labour justice spokesman Joe Costello, along with Anti-War Movement leader Richard Boyd-Barrett, Mr Higgins and Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe tried to mediate with the gardaí to resolve the stand-off.
The protesters wanted the riot squad to be removed before they would leave but the demonstration ended without any more trouble.
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