A gang of Iraqis on Friday discovered a priceless collection of 30 cars belonging to Saddam Hussein's older son, Uday.

Among them was an armoured Fleetwood Cadillac, a Rolls Royce Phantom, a Mercedes 600 equipped with a bar and a television, two Chevrolets circa 1950, a 1930s Ford and an assortment of beach buggies.

Each vehicle was in mint condition with the keys conveniently left in the ignition. The young men who entered the presidential garage on the east bank of the Tigris River had no difficulty at all in driving off with the booty.

One US marine, Sergeant John Heath, who watched the robbery, told rediff.com: "We have no orders to stop the looting. Oh my God, how can we stop it?"

Many of the more expensive cars had been driven off by the time he arrived at the entrance of the garage. But when the sergeant turned around and saw television sets and furniture also being looted from the palace, he fired warning shots, forcing the would-be looters to drop their cargo.

His senior officer, Major Mark Roberts from Dallas, commented, "Its going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

The looting is due to the breakdown of civil and political authority and the collapse of Saddam's government.

Although there is still sporadic resistance to the US from some Saddam loyalists, the famed Republican Guard units have either been smashed or melted away. The same applies to the fanatically loyal fidayeens.

But in the meanwhile, looters are making a quick buck.

On Wednesday, a mob torched the German embassy and the French cultural centre. On Friday, crowds were emerging with furniture stolen from the remains of the ministries of planning and oil.

Outside the oil ministry, one pedestrian said, "They take food and water because they need it. For years this government stole from them. Now they are stealing back from the government. We are a crazy country."

Another man driving past in his car said, "The United States is invading all the world. Where is the humanity? What about the invasion of our country, of the Middle East?"

In the middle of all the confusion some Iraqis still manage to retain a sense of humour and an interest in issues other than war.

One man, who was taking a television set from the Central Bank of Iraq, said: "I am sorry about all this, but I tell you sincerely we want peace; we want to enjoy the good things of life."

When I [the correspondent] told him I was from India, he shouted with happiness and said, "Give my regards to Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna and Asha Bhosle. My favourite film is Mukaddar Ka Sikandar."

rediff.com Senior Editor Shyam Bhatia is the co-author of Saddam's Bomb, on Iraq's search for nuclear weapons.

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