One of the most decisive events in the Iraqi pacification campaign hasn't been mentioned much in our infotainment-driven news media. (In fairness, they have to save room for Michael Jackson stories.) Next month, the old Iraqi currency with Saddam's face on it will no longer be legal tender -- meaning that any stashes the ancien regime has will be worthless.
Maybe Saddam and his thugs have foreign currencies with which to buy attacks on Coalition forces. Hard to say. But if he's paying his minions in Swiss francs or euros, that kind of thing will stand out. If he hasn't got the money, look for the "resistance" to drop off precipitously. A lack of cash, coupled with some judicious ass-kicking, will convince the thugs and murderers to pursue more honest employment. You heard it first on Catholic Light !
Eric,
Wasn't the 400 million found by the US troops in some of Saddam's houses US currency? I have a feeling that most of his cash doesn't have his face on it, but American presidents. I wonder if he sees the irony.
That wouldn't surprise me if he had a lot of dollars -- most American currency circulates outside the U.S. Using large amounts of dollars instead of dinars would attract attention, though.