Author: Peter Maass

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. In 1983, after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, I went to Brussels as a copy editor for The Wall Street Journal/Europe. I left the Journal in 1985 to write for The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune, covering NATO and the European Union. In 1987 I moved to Seoul, South Korea, where I wrote primarily for The Washington Post. After three years in Asia I moved to Budapest to cover Eastern Europe and the Balkans. I spent most of 1992 and 1993 covering the war in Bosnia for the Post.

Two Days Before Firdos, Another Toppling

Two days before the statue of Saddam was toppled at Firdos Square, Army troops who had seized control of the Republican Palace were ordered by their commander, Col. David Perkins, to find a statue of Saddam that could be destroyed. Once one was found–Saddam on horseback–the troops were ... (Read more)

The Front Pages

If you want to see a selection of front pages the day after the toppling, click here.

The Mural of Saddam Hussein

Shortly before heading into central Baghdad on April 9, 2003, Lt. Col. Bryan McCoy joined a handful of his Marines who were taking a sledgehammer to a mural of Saddam Hussein at the military base where they had spent the night. Click here for a slideshow of my photos.

Toppled, the Book

If you have an unlimited appetite for information, photos and trivia about the toppled statues of Saddam Hussein, there’s a website and book just for you — Toppled by Florian Gottke. My favorite photo in the book ... (Read more)

Inside the Palestine Hotel

Melinda Liu, a Newsweek reporter, was among the several hundred journalists who stayed at the Palestine Hotel during the invasion. She wrote a colorful story for Conde Nast Traveler about her sojourn, including ... (Read more)

Photographer on First Tank Into Firdos

The Marines who were ordered to seize Firdos Square were not entirely sure how to get there, so they asked a photographer to show them the way. These screen shots, taken from a TV video of the first tank entering Firdos Square, show the photographer, Jan Grarup, on the tank’s turret.
Correction: ... (Read more)

The Weightlifter at the Statue

For the BBC’s story on weightlifter Khadim al-Jubouri, click here.

Asking for a Rescue

Seamus Conlan, a photographer at the Palestine Hotel, asked American troops to come to the rescue of journalists there. Click here for his account of that day.

I had been pleading with every American soldier I encountered in the chaos in the surrounding streets to come and protect the international ... (Read more)

Sky News on Marines Entering Firdos

‘Control Room’ On Firdos Square

The documentary “Control Room” featured several Al Jazeera journalists who said the toppling was planned in advance by the U.S. military, to the extent that people were brought to the square to participate in the event. Click here to view that scene from “Control Room.”