The Guardian has gotten ahold of a cache of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's email, and yeah, sure, he may be a mass-murdering baby-killing war criminal, but in many ways he's just an ordinary guy.
For example, Assad enjoys using his iPad to swap "entertaining internet links" like this YouTube of a re-enactment of the brutal siege of Homs using biscuits and toys. Ha-ha, funny!
The 46-year-old Baathist tyrant also enjoys downloading music from iTunes, although given US economic sanctions, he has to use a buddy with an American address to help him with his downloads. And as for Mrs. Assad, well, she turns out to be quite an avid online shopper, her many purchases including a fondue set she instructed an aide to order through Amazon. Amazon delivers!
On a more serious note, the emails provide a fascinating look into the Assad regime, and some of the behind the scenes diplomatic efforts to diffuse the situation, including a correspondence between Assad's wife and the daughter of the emir of Qatar, in which the latter repeatedly attempts to persuade the Assads to go into exile. Interesting stuff.
