Over time he enjoyed the discreet support of the west, with the US providing satellite intelligence on Iranian deployments and European countries supplying armaments and raw materials for gas and chemical weapons.
Yet lately the Belgian capital has been enjoying a discreet renaissance.
Camouflaged partly by the garden, I had it all: I could enjoy a discreet gin and tonic while yelling at the children to watch out for that car and, when applicable, raise my husband three on two pair.
And buyers enjoy drawing discreet but mildly envious stares from strangers on the commute home with the exquisitely wrapped packages carried in tiny, richly lacquered shopping bags displaying some luxury brand.
Millions of fans have already enjoyed EL James's erotic bestseller on their discreet e-readers.
It is not just Bain that will feel relief the election has passed: the discreet private-equity industry has not enjoyed the limelight.
In noncommunist developing countries, the press enjoyed varying degrees of freedom, ranging from the discreet and occasional use of self-censorship on matters embarrassing to the home government to a strict and omnipresent censorship akin to that of communist countries.
