U.S. forces moved a step closer to the most wanted man in Saddam Hussein’s regime Wednesday, detaining his four nephews in a pre-dawn raid in the central city of Samarra.
Hours later, a car bomb exploded in front of a police station in Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad. Police said three people, including the bomber, were killed. The U.S. military put the death toll at five. About 30 people were injured. All the victims were Iraqis.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military said soldiers killed eight Iraqis after their patrol came under fire outside Samarra on Tuesday.
In Ramadi, west of Baghdad, U.S. troops captured Khamis Sirhan al-Muhammad, a former regional Baath Party chairman and militia commander who was No. 54 on the list of 55 most-wanted figures, the military said Wednesday.
Clearly, the U.S. military has no understanding of the rules of drama. You’re supposed to capture the nephews early in the story, then the evil sons, and then–and only then–the patriarch.
Update (1515): A commenter notes that, despite the headline of the article cited, it’s actually the nephews of Saddam’s veep that were captured. Reading further down into the piece does give that impression. Of course, it makes my point about drama that much more spot-on.
Update (1626): My headline’s changed. Strangely, the site still has it “Saddam nephews captured.”
