It's on. In the 9 o'clock hour EST or right at dawn in Baghdad time, US forces struck with some several dozen missles and bombs, primarily targeting Iraqi leadership, particularly Hussein and sons- a "decapitation" attempt. We don't have damage assessment yet at this hour.

However, in our midnight hour EST, Iraqi tv broadcast a supposed live speech from Hussein. Thing is, there was nothing in the content of the prepared statement that he or a look alike read referring to anything from the strikes of the last several hours- nothing to show that it was live or even recent within the last few days. Moreover, the broadcast had glitches that strongly suggest that it was videotape rather than a live broadcast. By the content, it had no real news references to date it. It could have been taped weeks or months ago. This wasn't any more live than a Milli Vanilli concert- after Vanilli died. Although I suppose that Vanilli's passing wouldn't make much difference as to their live-ness.

Now, you have to think that at this moment if he could, Hussein would be showing up unequivocally live at least long enough to show his people that he's still alive and in charge, lest they jump ship. This leads me to suspect either that Hussein is dead, or trying to convince us that he is. We and the Iraqi people should be so lucky.