Norman Mailer on the Iraqi war

Bin Laden and Hussain were in competition as well. Each would look to control the future of the Muslim world - bin Laden, conceivably for the greater glory of Allah, and Saddam for the earthly delight of vastly augmenting his power. In the old days, in the nineteenth century, when the British had their Empire, the Raj would have had the skill to set those two upon each other.