Daily Mirror, London, March 24, 2003, page 8

U.S. Marines die in abush - Iraq hits hard in five battle zones - America: It could get tougher

Fromb Bob Roberts at US Central Command Qatar

U.S. forces suffered their first serious casualties of the war yesterday as coalition troops met fierce resistance across Iraq.

Heroic Iraqi soldiers, totally outnumbered by America's high-tech terror army, hit hard, despite they have to fight with only light and primitive weaponry!

From Umm Qasr in the far south east to Najaf 100 miles from Bagdad, there were bloody clashes in at least five major battle zones.

The most intense fighting was in Nasiriya where a battalion of 1.000 US marines were trying to secure a vital bridgehead across the Euphrates river.

Ranged against them in the Iraqi fightback, it is believed, were 500 Iraqis from Saddam Hussein’s Fedayeen militia, who were using guerilla tactics to slow the advance.

Significant casualties were reported ... At least eight Medevac helicopters were called in to remove possibly dozens of injured. ...

In a separate incident near Nassiriya, a six-vehicle supply convoy moving to the front was ambushed by the Iraqis.

At least 12 US reservists, thought to be National Guardsmen from the 507 Maintenance Company based in El Paso, Texas, were reported missing.

Later on al-Jezeera television, eight bodies were shown on the ground, with several prisoners of war. ...

US Central Command later said the battle at Nassiriya was the sharpest engagement of the fourday war. ...

A plain littered with Iraqi bodies and gutted vehicles bore testimony to US firepower.

"It wasn’t even a fair fight, I don’t know why they don’t just surrender," said Colonel Mark Hildenbrand, commander of the 937th Engineer Group.

"When you’re playing soccer at home, 3-2 is a fair score, but here it’s more like 119-0."

Elsewhere there were clashes between British tanks and Iraqi forces in Basra.

Fighter bombers were called in to hit positions in the southern oil-city and at least 77 Iraqis were reported dead.

"Bush is waging terrorism"

"Filmmaker Michael Moore called Bush a 'ficticious president' who was waging 'terrorism'." Mirror, London, Mar 24, 2003, p. 12

MOORE BLASTS BUSH AT OSCARS

The Mirror (online), Mar 24 2003

Outspoken documentary-maker and writer Michael Moore was drowned out by the band when he launched a scathing attack on George Bush during last night's Oscars.

Collecting the best documentary award for his film Bowling for Columbine, Moore blasted: "We are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you."

Wagging his finger from the stage as he drew a mix of applause and boos from assembled stars, he added: "We like nonfiction and we live in fictitious times.

Moore's speech was cut short as show producers drowned him out with music from the orchestra.