JOKES ABOUT SADDAM...FROM THE IRAQIS THEMSELVES!

Other jokes center on the danger of telling Saddam the truth.

One cool spring evening, Saddam is out on the balcony of one of his palaces watching the sun go down with Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

A flock of ducks flies close to the palace, the birds honking as they approach. The noise disturbs Saddam's peaceful mood. "Ramadan, kill those ducks," he says.

The vice president dutifully picks up an AK-47 rifle and fires away at the ducks. He fails to hit a single bird.

Saddam shakes his head, then grabs the gun and hands it to the deputy prime minister. "Aziz, kill them!" he orders.

The deputy prime minister aims and shoots off a burst of automatic fire. Again, none of the birds is hit.

Saddam is really angry at this point and pulls the gun from Aziz's hands. "Can't anybody in this government shoot straight besides me?" he asks.

He takes the gun and empties the clip in the direction of the flock. All the birds sail by, honking happily as they pass.

There is an awkward silence as Saddam blows on the barrel and places the rifle against the balcony wall. Aziz and Ramadan exchange nervous glances. Suddenly Aziz points toward the birds and shouts, "Look - dead birds flying!"

There are more here.