The New York Times said US forces had reached the outskirts of Baghdad "with astonishing speed... raising hopes that the endgame in the Iraqi conflict may be close at hand."

While information about Iraqi civilians was only "anecdotal," the Times said there was news Marines were being met "by a stream of people fleeing from the city before any fighting there might begin."

"Many gave the thumbs-up signal, thanked the invaders or waved in encouragement."

"On the battlefield, the big coup was the seizure of parts of Saddam International Airport, just outside the city. Control of the area would give the allies access to a critical field for flying in supplies and reinforcements and possession of an icon dear to the Iraqi regime," the Times added.

The Wall Street Journal was even more confident in its editorial, "The End is Near." "Events are moving so quickly that it's impossible to predict where allied forces will be by the time you hold this newspaper," it said.

"One thing is clear, the noose is tightening on the Iraqi regime. Saddam Hussein's military machine is being destroyed, his Sunni officer corps killed (at least those who will fight). His Baathist Party's long reign of terror will soon end," the Journal wrote.

In Najaf, a Shiite stronghold, "a local ayatollah issued a fatwa yesterday telling people not to impede coalition forces. Yup, the Screaming Eagles are fighting with the blessing of a fatwa," the Journal gushed.

In an opinion column, The Washington Post writes that "a bitter diplomatic battle is taking shape over American plans for administering postwar Iraq."

"On one side are hawks in the Bush administration, especially the civilian leadership of the Pentagon, who want a US-dominated military occupation. On the other is a broad coalition that includes some US State Department officials, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and America's chief economic ally in the Middle East, the oil-rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"They want an advisory role for the United Nations and a decisive voice for the Iraqis themselves."

The Post notes the concerns of Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud Faisal.

"'We think the worst thing that could happen after a war in Iraq is a military occupation," Saud said. "This would bring all the old images of imperialism, and give truth to what is being presented as an effort by America to rob Iraq of its wealth, rather than to bring peace and stability.'"

For its part, USA Today found an "unexpected benefit" in Turkey's earlier refusal to let US troops use its territory in exchange for an additional six billion dollars in aid.

"Turkey's help beyond its consent for the US to use its airspace and move some supplies over land would have carried a steep cost beyond the US aid: approval for Turkish troops to enter northern Iraq to keep the Kurds in check.

"Instead, the Kurds are now the indispensable US allies in the north, with 60,000 hardened fighters helping secure Iraqi territory."

SPACE.WIRE