Dearborn - Decades of fear and frustration were set aside Wednesday as scores of Michigan's Iraqis took to the streets in celebration of the apparent end to Saddam Hussein's regime.

Shouts of "Saddam is dead, long live Iraq" and "God bless America" echoed through the streets as at least 200 people gathered midday outside the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, hoisting aloft a medley of Iraqi and American flags as well as pictures of Imam Mohammed Baqr Sadr, the Shiite spiritual leader assassinated by Saddam in 1980.

"This is a burst of happiness after 30 years of misery and torture," said Bassim al-Montasser, a 40-year-old resident of heavily Arab Dearborn. "How can you describe such joy when all you and your countrymen have known is misery?"

Dearborn has the largest Arab community in the country, said American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Midwest regional director Hussein Ibish.

"The emotional reaction is predictable," he said. "It's perfectly expected that Iraqis outside and inside Iraq are delighted.

"If someone toasted to the downfall of Saddam, I would happily drink to that."

The rejoicing doesn't express anything other than the fact that Saddam was a tyrant, Ibish said.

"Obviously no one is going to shed a tear," he said. "How everyone really feels about Iraq, post-Saddam, will come after the celebrating."

A crowd of about 200 people gathered early Wednesday afternoon and paraded by the center.

Journalism freshman and Dearborn resident Jacqueline WayneGuite has friends that go to Dearborn High School and remembers the large amount of Arabs in the area.

"There is a lot of tension and I know there is prejudice in Dearborn," she said. "It's great that they are supporting each other.

"Both groups, Americans and Arabs, being able to celebrate together is a good thing."

A Dearborn police officer spoke to one man who was perched atop one parked car. The officer congratulated the man, then urged him to be careful and not fall off.

One man standing inside the center offered a novel approach to dealing with the country's ruling elite and their sympathizers.

"Don't kill them," said 42-year-old Hadi al-Baghdadi, his eyes glinting. "Put them in cages in a zoo. And then we can use the admission fees to rebuild Iraq."

Staff writer Benita Mehta contributed to this report.