Thursday, December 28, 2006

I read the full text of Saddam's typically tedious letter from jail. His mind is more jumbled than usual, I would say. But what was striking to me is that his characteristic conceit has not diminished one bit in jail. He said at one point: "Many of you have known the owner of this letter in honesty, integrity, clean-handedness, care for people, wisdom, foresight, justice, and firmness in dealing with matters, concern for the money of the people and the money of the state, and that everything lives in his conscience, mind, and that his heart aches and his mind does not rest until he lifts up the status of the poor, and to meet the need the needy, and his heart grows to accommodate all his people and nation, and to be faithful and pious...." What was that?