MORE FROM THE SUEDDEUTSCHE

From this article looking back at Saddam Hussein's allies and enemies, the text of an open telegram from Vladimir Zhirinovsky to Hussein after his sons were killed earlier this year:

"Dear Friend! Your sons both died as true warriors. . . Their heroic death shows the greatness of soul of the Iraqi people."

Zhirinovksy hasn't said much about Hussein's capture, though. One of the brilliant aspects of the capture as engineered by the U.S. troops is that it has rendered Hussein ridiculous (see, for example, here). Fascism in all of its guises requires a cult of fear and death created by a carefully crafted illusion of heroism and power. No matter what happens from here on out, "bad Santa" Hussein will probably find it difficult to recreate such an illusion. That's very good news.