Uncle Saddam's Land of Terror

Fear has always been part of life in Iraq, but never more than now. Secret police and government informers have infected neighborhoods, factories and schools. Some parents are afraid of their own children, fearful that if their young ones hear them express their true political beliefs at home, they might unwittingly betray them. Those adults who oppose Saddam Hussein's regime have to conceal it: when the Iraqi leader appears on television, parents remind their youngsters to call him "Uncle Saddam."

The atmosphere is reminiscent of Stalinist Russia, when no one could be trusted. Words of dissent are rare, especially in the...