Search for Saddam spurred with killing of his two sons

The two murderous sons of a murderous father were killed in a raid Tuesday on a palatial residence in the northern city of Mosul, Iraq, providing a psychological boost to American soldiers in Iraq who have been under daily attack from Saddam Hussein loyalists since the invasion in March by the United States and Britain. The war resulted in the ouster of the Butcher of Baghdad and his inner circle, including sons Odai and Qusai.
The U.S. government placed bounties of $15 million on the heads of the sons and has offered a $25 million reward for information leading to the capture or death of the father.
Whether the informant, described by American military officials as a "walk in," revealed the whereabouts of the two thugs because of the reward or out of a sense of human dignity is really not the issue. What matters is that Saddam knows today that time is running out for him.
The killings of Odai and Qusai -- photographs of the bullet-riddled bodies had not been made public as of early today -- will embolden any Iraqi with information about Saddam to come forward. That's because Iraqis now know that the key members of Saddam's family aren't superhuman or invincible. Their disappearance in the wake of the American-British invasion led many in the country to believe they were larger than life.
The celebrations in Baghdad and other cities Tuesday night once news of the deaths spread through the country are evidence of the hatred many Iraqis have for Saddam and those closest to him.
Under Saddam, Iraq became a veritable graveyard for his enemies and anyone else who displeased or offended the Butcher and his sons. The stories of their cruelty are legendary.
Jungle pets
As the Washington Post put it, "Odai, 39, Saddam Hussein's elder son, was the wolf -- a sadist who tortured athletes for losing matches, a womanizer who had henchmen snatch women and girls off the street, a show-off who collected fast cars and jungle pets.
"Qusai, 37, his brother, was the snake -- a son who was subservient to his father in public but who quietly amassed enormous power through his control of state intelligence and political movements, and emerged as Saddam's heir apparent."
As for Saddam, the $25 million bounty on his head must now appear to him as the handwriting on the wall. It's only a matter of time before even his most trusted companions, if he has any left, begin to think about their own futures.
The fact that he can no longer harm anyone makes him an easy mark for someone looking to make a $25 million.
If the deaths of Odai and Qusai provided a sense of relief, Saddam's death or capture will be liberating for the people of Iraq who lived in fear of him and his goons for so many years. He deserves to be hunted down.
That said, American and British occupying forces must be on high alert. Saddam will not go quietly and can be expected to rally his supporters for one last bloody battle.