I've updated the Ba'ath Poker page (button above) for the first time in months. I have not added the last two captures (Eight of Hearts on September 19th, Ace of Spades on December 13th) to the charts in Part III that graph date of capture against rank, since these are already far too wide.

I do wonder what happened to the dozen or so 'cards' not yet killed or in custody. No doubt some are hiding out in Iraq, lurking in spider holes, or paying fanatics and thugs to kill Americans, or both. It is possible that one or two were killed in battle back in March or April and buried in unmarked graves. Some may have escaped to other countries: the lower-ranking members of the Top 55 would obviously find it easier to escape notice, and would likely have been important enough to have access to sufficient money to escape and survive. I like to think that some of the missing Ba'athists have been quietly murdered for their money and other assets by what the Northern Irish call 'ordinary decent criminals': it must be dangerous to carry large amounts of cash in dark allies and out-of-the-way hideouts, and very tempting to one's followers -- there's no need to wait for a reward from Centcom when you can cut out the middleman and collect it immediately and in person. Finally, I wonder if Saddam knows which of his henchmen are still at large, and whether he's willing to tell.