Iraq ,     All of our advertising is certified by Google and therefore may be viewed safely. A snap shot of Bagdhad  in the immediate aftermath of GWII by Damian Bird When you have no money, your home is made from rubbish and your country has no law and order all the comfort you have to offer your child is a warm place in your coat. This boy was standing victoriously in the grounds of the bombed out Iraqi air force building wearing a poster of his country’s leader in hiding. Saddam Hussein had not yet been found. When you are on patrol on the most dangerous streets in the world, you look for distraction whereever you can find it! Off duty US army soldiers, Baghdad. Iraqi woman voicing her feelings to US soldiers in the aftermath of the US invasion of Iraq on the streets of Baghdad. When fresh fruit and vegetables are in short supply in the wake of war, one must eat weeds to get the necessary vitamins to stay alive. Iraqi woman gathering plant matter from wasteland, Baghdad. A strong mother looking after her child in Baghdad as the looting and vigilante killings raged all over Baghdad. The first few weeks following the coalition invasion of Iraq were full of optimism that a job had been completed. This relaxed US soldiers facial expression says it all. Abrams tank, wearing the rubble shifting “teeth of war”stands infront of a looted and burnt out governement building, Baghdad. In the immediate aftermath of an invasion there are those who fall prey to ‘lack of care’, and sadly people could be seen dying in the streets of Baghdad from dehydration and malnutrition; life slipping from them in a world that favoured only the fittest and the most well equipped to handle changing rules of survival. In the first few week following the end of Saddam Hussein’s rule of Iraq many Iraqis were very keen to show their gratitude to the coalition forces, and would often want to shake hands with them. Perhaps they also wanted to touch them to see if they were real. Speaking to Iraqis at the time it became clear that Hussein had led everyone to believe that the Iraqi army was certain to repel any invasion and the public believed this TV spread propoganda. There was a real sense of disbelief from the Iraqi people when the coalition forces turned up to take over. The masked man on the right is an Iraqi in the employment of the US governement as a translator and purveyor of local knowledge. He hides his identity in order to protect himself and his family from attack from those that would see his colaberation with the coalition forces as an act of betrayal. The goal of the conversation was to gain infomation from Iraqi citizens about elements within the Iraqi population seeking to use violence to repel coalition forces from Iraq. Following the coalition invasion of Iraq the lack of law and order led to the settling of old and new grudges between neighbours. The masked man is a coalition employed Iraqi interpreter and guide.  He was aiding in the interogation of an Iraqi on behalf of a US team of soldiers, tasked to hunt down insurgents. Pigeon, kept as a pet by a young Iraqi, Baghdad. ALL DONE GO HOME - message to coalition forces from Iraqis wanting to handle things from this point without the continued presence of coalition forces in Iraq. One can see the legs of Saddam Hussein’s statue are still present, from the moment when the statue was famously dragged down. Iraqi looking to US soldier to air his concerns following the overthrowing of the old regime. A common sight at this time in the first few weeks following the coalition invasion, due to the absence of law and order or the presence of official governement bodies to speak to. ‘Watch the children to know the feelings of the parents.’   If this is true then the parents of these children were glad to see the back of Saddam Hussein and the Baath party system of rule. Bullet scars can be seen all over this public sculpture of Saddam Hussein. When in the US army serving in Iraq, you may expect not to leave Iraq for over a year.  Love letters are very important! Iraqi man, with something to feel good about. Spontaneous act of celebration by Iraqi children following regime change in Iraq. Burst sewer reflecting the image of Baghdad children, waiting to see what the future holds following the regime change. Well dressed Iraqi girl, showing the sress on her face of living without law and order in the aftermath of the regime change. A young Iraqi stangs by as his sheep eat rubbish Baghdad. US soldiers tasked to look at a position from where their camp had been mortared. There was nothing to see and no evidence of the insurgents having been there except for tyre tracks. The heat was overpovering at 49 degrees. With dead people littering the streets of Baghdad this juice bar felt like a sureal oasis. Whilst drinking juice in this bar I was acosted by an Iraqi wanting me to photograph/document a dead man lying in the street outside. The man had been shot by a householder for trying to steel food. Defaced image of a deposed leader in hiding.