Encircling Saddam
The week's news at a glance.
Tikrit, Iraq
The U.S. military has begun an intensive manhunt for Saddam Hussein around his hometown of Tikrit. Hundreds of soldiers are sweeping the plains around the city, conducting nightly raids, and detaining hundreds of residents. Some Tikritis, particularly those of Saddam’s tribe, benefited from considerable perks during his rule, and it’s thought that they are now the only people willing to shelter him. Military officials said there had been at least two “Elvis sightings”—their term for glimpses of the deposed dictator—in Tikrit. “It is our operational assumption that Saddam Hussein is here,” Col. James Hickey told The New York Times. “And if he’s here, we’ll get him.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions