The Tigris River, which was the site of the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia, still flows majestically through Baghdad, Iraq's capital. In March2003, the area around this river underwent intense airstrikes by U.S. and British forces. The U.S. armed forces gained control of Baghdad. Journalist Watai Takeharu witnessed the moment when the bronze statue of then-president Saddam Hussein was pulled down. The next day he saw many victims of the airstrikes at a city hospital.