peripathetic

Saddam may be injured...
...or it may just be one of the fake Saddams who they carried away on a stretcher, complete with oxygen mask, from the Baghdad compound bombed last night. Either way, the assault goes on, with Hussein's elder son reported to be killed. Iraqi troops have been seen from the air preparing chemical munitions as the allied troops push far into the southern reaches, tearing down portraits of Saddam in Safwan.

Iraqis are, however, wary of how to take it all. So am I. Where is the massive aerial assault so much trumpeted by Rumsfeld? If a major plan like that can be abandoned, what about others? Of course there are logistical considerations. Maybe they don't want to bomb the crap out of Baghdad if Saddam is already as good as finished - but maybe Saddam isn't finished at all.

In the wake of all this, there have been protests around the UK and other countries today, with further major action scheduled for tomorrow. People are not happy, and the Guardian's Polly Toynbee points out that Blair has just lost whatever currency he possessed within the EU. As if that wasn't bad enough, Tom Hanks won't turn up for the Oscars and Nicole Kidman is a doubtful appearance...