From the BBC war weblog
It's been a frustrating day for US Marines in the southern Iraqi port town of Umm Qasr. An operation to control the town which was expected to take a matter of hours, has now taken two days, and still there are elements of Iraqi forces dotted around the town.
But there is also this:
I'm looking out now as this large convoy and can see local people in Basra . There are lots of people coming out, lots of children and they are applauding. The people coming out to shake the hands of American forces who are seen as liberating the city of Basra. This has a significant impact on morale.
