The political situation inside Iraq is becoming more unstable. Dozens of senior military officials have fled the country in the past few months, and executions of other officers for real or suspected plotting against the government have also increased. Being tagged as part of the "Axis of Evil" has been denounced by the government, but believed by many of the mid-level leadership. Saddam, and his likely successors (his sons) are seen as unstable and likely to get Iraq into more trouble. But the police state Saddam has set up (and his sons help supervise) has been very effective at exposing plots against the government and terrorizing most of the population. Lots of Iraqis want Saddam gone, but few are willing, or able, to actually do the deed.