Reporter's Notebook: Streets of Baghdad

B A G H D A D, Iraq, Feb. 12 -- Walk through a back street in Baghdad and the children shout outin English, "How are you? Hello. Good morning."

During our tour of Baghdad we heard of Iraqi families stockpiling food and weapons in preparation for possible war. When we went out Iraqi homes to see it ourselves, we were struck by something else: the children.

When I asked the children about America, they said they had heard of war. But when I said I was American, there were only smiles and curiosity.

I sang them the classic American children's song Itsy Bitsy Spider, and they sang back in return a song about Saddam Hussein. The words rang out of his strength and their desire to protect him.

We entered a home that was selected for us by our Iraqi minder and received a cordial welcome. The ritual picture of Saddam Hussein hung off one of its walls and there were supplies stashed around the residence. The family said they had enough food and other supplies to stay in the house for a year if they had to.

One of the male residents showed us his gun, but said he is not afraid that Americans will attack him. "No, no, no ? not afraid," the man said. "We're not afraid."

The man told us that he's ready to repel anybody, Americans or any other soldiers. And even though his home was preselected by the Iraqis, this we heard from others, too. They'll have guns and they'll defend their homes.

On our way out, in a strange contradiction, we were offered home-made pastries, baked by a lady of the house just hours before our arrival. We bid our farewell and headed back to the streets of Baghdad where the children who sang a song that Saddam Hussein would protect them shouted out once more, 'Good morning' and 'Bye-bye.'