So this guy, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, is apparently behind the attacks in Baghdad, according to an unnamed Pentagon source (who himself simply says "there are reports.")

If true, it begs the question: Why isn't Saddam himself calling the shots? And who's this guy in league with? Not that I know that first thing about anything, but I suspect he's calling on foreign jihadists who would never answer to the apostate Saddam.

So to waste some time and better myself, I decided to do some research on Al-Douri. Turns out:

a) his daughter was married ("briefly") to Uday -- how'd that relationship turn out?

b) He's really not a very pleasant person.

c) He was getting medical treatment in Vienna as little as four years ago. (Note the odd quotation marks around "war crimes.")

d) He was supposed to be in charge of the defense of northern Iraq, but in May, a source told the Independent that he'd run away to Syria, where that country's Republican Guards were sheltering him.

e) When the bombs starting dropping, he allegedly placed his office in a graveyard that contained a holy man's remains, presumably thinking the aura of holiness would act as a sort of force field to protect him.

d) Bush buddy Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was seen embracing and kissing Al Douri at a March 2002 Arab conference in Qatar. Small world. (From the same article.)

e) In the early days of the war, there were rumors he'd split with Saddam and was willing to make a deal with the Americans. (Also from the same article.)

f) He was supposedly killed in the same "decapitation strike" that, it turns out, didn't actually kill Chemical Ali.

g) Doh!! Yep, there he is, kissing Prince Abdullah. Ew.

The Internet is so great.