President George W. Bush used hisSaturday radio address to praise US troops, excoriate the Iraqiforces and insist that the United States is bringing "liberation"and "hope" to the Iraqi people.
"American and coalition forces are steadily advancing againstthe regime of Saddam Hussein," Bush declared, the morning after UStanks rolled into Baghdad.
"As the vice tightens on the Iraqi regime, some of our enemieshave chosen to fill their final days with acts of cowardice andmurder," he went on.
"With each new village they liberate, our forces are learningmore about the atrocities of that regime, and the deep fear thedictator has instilled in the Iraqi people."
Iraqi forces are using women and children as human shields,hiding in civilian neighborhoods, forcing other Iraqis into battleand executing prisoners of war, Bush said.
By contrast, "American forces and our allies are treatinginnocent civilians with kindness and showing proper respect to thesoldiers who surrender," and bringing food, water and medicine toIraqi people.
"The citizens of Iraq are coming to know what kind of people wehave sent to liberate them," Bush said.
"We are bringing aid to the long-suffering people of Iraq, andwe are bringing something more: We are bringing hope."
"Village by village, city by city, liberation is coming. Thepeople of Iraq have my pledge: Our fighting forces will press onuntil their oppressors are gone and their whole country is free,"Bush declared.
US troops took Saddam International Airport outside Baghdad onFriday, an important tactical and psychological blow to the regime.
The United States also overcame the early strategic problempresented by being unable to enter northern Iraq from Turkey.
"Our Special Forces and Army paratroopers, working with Kurdishmilitia, have opened a northern front against the enemy," Bushsaid.