F you've sent an e-mail message to Saddam Hussein lately, you should know that his in-box is a little backed up and that it might take him a while to get back to you.

This public service announcement comes by way of Brian McWilliams, a freelance reporter for the technology Web site Wired News. Last month, Mr. McWilliams took advantage of some poor security measures and gained access to a trove of unread e-mail messages sent to the Iraqi leader by visitors to his official Web site.

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In an article about the break-in, Mr. McWilliams said he stumbled on messages of support, business proposals and obscene death threats, along with the usual load of spam.

Mr. McWilliams's minor hacking job raises some obvious ethical issues. But it also raises a question for these troubled times: how easy is it for the average Internet user to communicate with the world's least friendly regimes?

A quick tour of government Web sites suggests that would-be desktop diplomats face some hurdles. Even though the most technophobic nations have some kind of Internet presence nowadays, few seem interested in having a serious dialogue with Web surfers. It's also clear that the more prickly countries tend not to be adept at online public relations. A sampler follows.

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North Korea relies on a Spain-based group called the Korean Friendship Association to maintain its official Web site, www.Korea-DPR.com. The site solicits e-mail feedback and posts contributions from visitors, but only if they celebrate the memory of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founder and the father of the current ruler, Kim Jong Il. One contribution is attributed only to "Internet guest":

Kim Il Sung!

Where would I be without your guidance?

Kim Il Sung!

Your picture adorns my every wall.

Kim Il Sung!

We are such good comrades.

Kim Il Sung!

Without you my world would fall.

The Chinese government tries a little harder to engage the online masses. At the China Internet Information Center (www.china.org.cn), editors answer questions from readers in the tone of a patient librarian. In response to a request for fish recipes, they offer one in which the finished fish "beautifully resembles the shape of a squirrel." The site also includes letters from readers offering opinions on more contentious topics — opinions that seem to line up perfectly with those of China's leaders. This letter is said to be from a 14-year-old boy in Melbourne, Australia:

One of the things I hope to see completed in my lifetime is for Taiwan to become part of China again. Taiwan is truly inalienable from China, it shares the same culture, same history, and just as Hong Kong became just as prosperous under Chinese government, so would Taiwan be if China governed it. It is only prolonging suffering of its people by having people of the same heritage "split" in different countries. . . . I hope to work in China one day! Thank you for reading my mail, and please reply if you have time.

Libya's official Web presence is limited to a simple site for its United Nations consulate. But a chaotic London-based site called Mathaba.net has picked up the slack, providing a virtual shrine to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi that invites visitors to send him an S.M.S., a short text message typically transmitted between cellphones. The site's owner did not respond to a request for information on exactly how this works, and Colonel Qaddafi did not respond to a message. But a few notes from other visitors are posted on the site. Here are a few, with the senders' names omitted:

I have followed your progress and I am proud of you. I would like to have an office telephone number and fax number to make contact with you. God bless you.

— United States

Dear Mr. Qaddafi, Salam, we honor your independent stance in the world policy; let us always keep in view our COMMON ENEMIES: Israel and zionized America . . . Allah Akbar!

— Ukraine

Glad to see recent statements by your gov. concerning Libya's desire to improve its human rights record, return to the community of nations and renounce terrorism as state policy.

— United States

Dear Muammar. Hope 2cu soon again in the desert.

— Austria

Western "democracy" has changed into oppressive tyranny — liberty lost. No truth in press. My eyes are opening. Good Luck.

— Australia