Saddam Hussein is visiting a school. In one class, he asks the students if
anyone can give him an example of a "tragedy". One little boy stands
up and offers that "If my best friend who lives next door was playing in
the street when a car came along and killed him, that would be a tragedy."
"No," Hussein says, "That would be an ACCIDENT." A girl
raises her hand. "If a school bus carrying fifty Iraqi children drove off
a cliff, killing everyone involved... that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," explains Hussein.."That is what we would call
a GREAT LOSS." The room is silent; none of the other children volunteer.
"What?" asks Hussein, "Is there no one here who can give me an
example of a tragedy?"
Finally, a boy in the back raises his hand. In a timid voice, he speaks: "If
an airplane carrying Yassar Arafat, Colonel Gaddafi, and Saddam Hussein were
blown up by a bomb, *that* would be a tragedy."
"Wonderful!" Hussein beams. "Marvelous! And can you tell me WHY
that would be a tragedy?"
"Well," says the boy, "because it wouldn't be an accident, and
it certainly would be no great loss!"