As almost always, Lileks roolz.

You hope Saddam?s alive to see this, to see the hailstorm of footwear, the burly men taking sledgehammers to his statue?s polished podium, to see the American flag draped over his cruel empty mug. That last point was one of the more remarkable moments today – the soldier put the flag over Saddam?s iron face, then removed it and replaced it with the old Iraqi flag. It?s a potent message. A show of power, then a show of respect. Our flag first; your flag for ever after. Don?t forget how the latter was made possible by the former.

You will, of course, but that?s how it goes. We look forward to your Nay vote on our resolution in the League of Democracies Security Council 58 years from today.

Can you imagine the parties in Baghdad this week? Hospitals had best make a rubber stamp that says GEORGE, because nine months from now they?re going to use it on every other birth certificate.