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NOT OVER
Rejoicing should wait until war’s end

The world was watching Wednesday morning as Iraqis attempted to bring down a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad’s Firdos Square.

The event was carried to a world-wide television audience including President Bush, who watched between morning meetings with his national security team and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Iraqi citizens first tried to use a rope tied like a noose around the statue’s neck but, when that failed, the U.S. Marines used a chain from a recovery vehicle to finally topple the statue. Several Iraqi men were later seen dragging the statue’s head through the streets.

The image of the statue falling to the ground is symbolic but does not indicate that the war is reaching an end.

Military and White House officials are still urging caution, saying there is much to be accomplished before the United States can declare victory.

There may have been thousands of rejoicing Iraqis, but pockets of resistance still exist in Baghdad and other areas of the country.

Rumsfeld said in his Wednesday briefing, “Saddam Hussein is now taking his rightful place alongside Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Ceausescu in the pantheon of failed brutal dictators, and the Iraqi people are well on their way to freedom.”

The moment may indeed prove historic, as the White House has called it, but we should keep celebrations to a minimum while we are still at war. We might have a brutal fight ahead of us to liberate Baghdad, and Saddam may be ready to strike with chemical weapons at any moment.

Let’s not forget the job isn’t over.