As Baghdad woke to learn the Americans had penetrated their capital, Iraqi television aired Saddam's walkabout through two city neighborhoods over and over again Saturday morning.

In a dose of reality TV Baghdad-style, there was no mention of the fact that US forces say they have seized Saddam International Airport on Baghdad's doorstep or entered the capital in their bid to oust the Iraqi regime.

Rather, Iraqis watched their leader enjoying what may have been his last carefree promenade through the streets of his city, accepting kisses from adoring crowds and scooping up babies for a peck on the cheek.

Witnesses told AFP that they had seen the Iraqi strongman on the streets of the capital Friday as cameramen filmed ecstatic, cheering masses greeting Saddam in the Al-Mansur and Al-Adhamiya neighborhoods.

Printing an article and photographs by the INA state news agency, all the Iraqi newspapers splashed the story of their fearless leader thumbing his nose at the Americans with his tour on page one.

"Baghdad kisses the president and is delighted to meet him," the daily Al-Iraq proclaimed.

"The fighting leader Saddam Hussein takes a tour of Baghdad neighborhoods in freedom," Al-Jumhuriya said.

INA declared that the hero's welcome for Saddam on the streets of the capital signalled a pledge of allegiance at a moment when US troops were massing in Baghdad's backyard.

"The citizens gathered around him, each one trying to shake his hand and take heart in his courage, his resistance and his dependability as he confronts the forces of evil and the disgrace that showed their teeth," INA said.

"The fists and the rifles rose to greet the president and renew their allegiance and their determination to sacrifice to defend the fatherland and their cherished leader."

The news agency presented the Sunni Muslim leader as a descendant of Ali, the first imam of the Shiites, an oppressed majority under the current leadership.

It declared that Saddam "bears the sword of his great grandfather Ali in confronting the non-believers who have come from overseas to soil the ground of the holy sites and the prophets".

Friday's broadcast showed Saddam basking in the cheers of a crowd that chanted: "With our blood and our souls, we shall redeem you!"

He braved the crowds in his first live appearance since January 2001 flanked by just a few bodyguards but packing a firearm in a holster.

Despite the advance of the Americans, the confident and relaxed Saddam appeared determined to set an example for the throngs of Iraqi civilians, including many people who had fled fighting in the countryside to take shelter in what they thought was the fortress capital.

After viewing outtakes from the Iraqi TV footage, US Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissed Saddam's tour as the last publicity stunt of a dying regime.

"Our troops know what they are there to do -- they are there to liberate Iraq and they will be successful in that mission," he said. "Whether he (Saddam) is there at the end or not, or found or not, is almost irrelevant.

"We are almost totally in control of the country and we'll be in complete control soon," Powell said. "A better day is ahead for the Iraqi people."

SPACE.WIRE