not quite ready for democracy

ABC Online
Hundreds of jubilant Iraqis have mobbed a convoy of US Marines, cheering, dancing and waving as American troops swept towards central Baghdad through slums and leafy suburbs from the east.

A Reuters correspondent in Baghdad says crowds threw flowers at the Marines as they drove past the Martyrs' Monument, just three kilometres east of the central Jumhuriya Bridge over the Tigris river.

"These are quite extraordinary scenes," correspondent Sean Maguire said after a morning's drive through the rundown sprawl of Saddam City and then through more prosperous suburbs with villas and trim lawns.

The crowds, mainly young and middle-aged men, many wearing the soccer shirts of leading western clubs like Manchester United, shouted "hello, hello" as Marines advanced through local traffic.

"No more (President) Saddam Hussein," chanted one group, waving to troops as they passed.

"We love you, we love you."

One young man ran alongside a Marine armoured personnel carrier trying to hand over a heavy belt of ammunition.

An older man made a wild kicking gesture with his foot, saying "Goodbye Saddam."

Across town, looters have attacked major sites in the city including UN headquarters and around the Olympic Committee building,

Police and other officials were absent from major streets, according to reports.

Television crews watched cheering crowds sack the UN headquarters in the Canal Hotel to the east of the centre, and then drive off in UN cars.

Another correspondent saw looters raid sports shops around the bombed Iraqi Olympic Committee building, the effective headquarters of President Saddam Hussein's elder son, Uday.

The correspondent says authority appears to have broken down in the capital as US troops moved in.

He says he could see no police in the main central thoroughfares.