Welcome to the world of the totalitarian demons.

There will never be a better time to get a visceral understanding of what it is like to live in the constant fear and loathing that the police state induces in its subjects. Reading a report in The Guardian today by James Meek, who was somewhere north of Azizya, I was struck by the constant use of "him" to refer to Saddam; there is never any need to explain who "he" or "him" is. One Iraqi is quoted as saying that "he" might use chemical weapons. Another one says "I am afraid nothing will happen to my friend, and we will be slaughtered." This is euphemistic, but it is not sarcastic; some spy of the regime cannot be absolutely certain that this resident of Azizya is actually talking about Saddam.

And it's catching; "His" enemies feel his presence, now. Lt. Col. Strotman, USMC, is also quoted as referring to "him". No need to figure out that he's not referring to George W. Bush.

This, my protesting academic compatriots, is what a real Fascist regime is like. This is what 1938 Moscow was like. "He" ultimately controls everyone. Not directly, of course, but by those who in Ian Kershaw's words "desire to 'work towards the Fuehrer'." "He" doesn't have to do anything, other than execute a few from time to time pour encourager les autres. The daily battle that subjects of such a regime face- those who wish to battle- is to keep alive some part of their soul that is free from His dominion.

Read the following words in the interior of your hearts, and ponder your protest. "We are not angry with the Americans. For 35 years the Ba'athists have been killing us, suffocating us. Even if the Americans killed me the sacrifice would be worth it."

What about this don't you understand? Can't you imagine what it takes to make someone say such awful words?