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U.S. LAUNCHES FREEDOM WAR: MISSILES TARGET IRAQI LEADERS - BOMBS EXPLODE IN BAGHDAD - ALLIES TAKE OVER IRAQI RADIO
By JONATHAN FOREMAN and VINCE MORRIS with U.S. forces in Kuwait and ANDY GELLER in N.Y.
March 20, 2003

American forces began taking down Saddam Hussein's despotic regime last night, as a months-long buildup ended with a massive assault on Iraq.

"The opening stages of the disarmament of the Iraqi regime have begun," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said at 9:45 p.m. - minutes after air raid sirens and anti-aircraft fire was reported over Baghdad.

Speaking to the nation, President Bush said the U.S. last night struck "selected targets" and promised a "broad and concerted campaign." He described the action as the opening salvo in an operation to "disarm Iraq and to free its people."

A pinpoint missile attack was launched against Iraqi leaders near Baghdad, a senior government official said, as bombs started exploding in Baghdad.

TV pictures from Baghdad showed flashing lights and explosions in the skies that reporters said came from Iraqi anti-aircraft fire. A reporter in Baghdad said the attack began around 5:33 a.m. today Baghdad time - 9:33 p.m. last night in New York.

The U.S. military began broadcasting in Arabic on the Iraqi state radio frequency, reports said. "This is the day we have been waiting for," an announcer said in Arabic just after the normal Iraqi broadcast suddenly went dead.

Earlier yesterday, U.S. warplanes hammered Iraqi artillery and missiles as troops readied their attack - which the White House promised would begin on "very short notice."

Planes also attacked artillery and surface-to-air missile sites in southern Iraq that were within range of U.S. and British forces massing in Kuwait. Ten artillery pieces - possibly capable of firing biological or chemical weapons - were destroyed.

Also hit were a radar system and an air defense command center in western Iraq and communications sites in several towns. Yesterday's earlier attack - launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln and US Kitty Hawk - was ordered after coalition aircraft on routine patrol in the "no-fly zone" were fired upon, the officials said.

As attack planes took to the skies, U.S. troops, armored vehicles and trucks advanced through a swirling sandstorm to the Iraqi border with Kuwait.

At sea, combat pilots on the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt were ordered to sleep through the day so they could fight at night.

As President Bush's 8 p.m. deadline for Saddam Hussein and his two sons to leave Iraq expired, the Iraqi despot showed no sign of accepting a public offer of exile from Bahrain, and his regime appeared to be digging in.

"The disarmament of the Iraqi regime will begin at a time of the president's choosing," Fleischer warned. The White House cautioned the American people that the war could be lengthy and they should be prepared for loss of life.

"Americans should be prepared for what we hope will be as precise, short a conflict as possible, but there are many unknowns and it could be a matter of some duration. We do not know," Fleischer said.

"Americans ought to be prepared for loss of life. Americans ought to be prepared for the importance of disarming Saddam Hussein to protect the peace."

Bush began his day by calling British Prime Minister Tony Blair, his staunchest ally, and meeting with his war council. Later, Bush sent Congress formal notification of the justification for war - two documents that said diplomacy has failed to protect America's security, linked Saddam to al Qaeda and said captured Iraqi officials could identify terrorists in the United States.

In other developments:

* Two groups totaling 17 Iraqi soldiers surrendered at the Kuwaiti border.
* Hundreds of members of Saddam's Ba'ath Party, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, deployed throughout Baghdad, taking positions behind sandbags and in foxholes.
* Russia, Germany and France attacked the war, telling the U.N. Security Council that the United States had not offered "indisputable facts" that Iraq posed a threat. France said the conflict would increase the possibility of terrorist acts.
* Turkey said the United States could use its air space to launch strikes against Iraq but could not station ground troops for a northern front against Baghdad.
* Israelis were warned to have gas masks on hand at all times although Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said there was only a 1 percent chance of getting hit by an Iraqi missile.