ALAN BRAIN WRITES that it’s Western Germany in 1945 all over again:

Coalition forces are now within 100 km of Baghdad, and still rolling forward. It’s virtually a replay of May, 1945 in Western Germany. Even with some of the original cast. Many conscripts who surrender at the first opportunity. Small pockets of Nazi – or in this case, Ba’athist – fanatics, who, knowing their own crimes, are prepared to fight to the death in ambushes. A populace going about their normal lives, just wanting for it to be all over, and deeply mistrustful of the Liberators. Some people who think “Saddam’s a bastard, but he’s our bastard.” Some people who are saying “Thank God you came when you did, what kept you?”.

I’d expect more of the same. When we get to Baghdad, there may be some street-clearing operations, if the opposition isn’t too high. Until recently I didn’t think there would be, but from all reports the Coalitions MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) doctrine and training are paying off, with far fewer civilian and friendly casualties than could reasonably have been expected. But more likely we’ll hold off, and let the Free Iraq Forces currently in training go in, identify who the Ba’athists are, and get the Iraqi populace to actively aid us.

This too is already happening – considerable support has been given on-camera by Iraqis pointing out where the Ba’athist Werewolves are holed up.

I hope he’s right. I think he is. Just read this:

Residents of the southern Iraqi city of Basra are helping coalition forces to arrest Iraqi militiamen, General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, said in an interview.

“We are receiving a lot of help from Basra residents who are directing us to the positions of the Iraqi armed forces, to Baath officials and hideouts of Saddam’s Fedayeen,” Myers told the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite network.

Stay tuned.