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| Iraq |
| Saddam’s Escape Plans? |
| 2003-03-28 |
| This article is via National Review's Corner. Saddam Hussein has made extensive preparations to flee Iraq — and has already smuggled his family out to Syria. He has also been selling off property and valuables to raise millions for his exile. *This just doesn't sound right. I can't claim to be a Saddam expert, but I don't think he'll run. It doesn't contribute to the legend in his own mind of "Saddam the Defiant Hero".* Just days before the bombardment of Baghdad began, Saddam's first wife Sajida — mother of his heirs Uday and Qusay and daughters Raghad, Rana and Hala — fled to Damascus with three lorryloads of possessions and 60 bodyguards. They are staying with Iraq's ambassador to Syria, Saddam's former protocol minister Haitham Rashid Wihaib told newspapers in London. *Hmm, I never heard of his daughters till now. I wonder if they're as twisted as the boys are?* The news will heighten speculation that Saddam's regime may be about to crumble. *Everybody assumes that Baath-party Iraq is a one man state. Saddam goes, and everything will automatically fall apart. I hope that's true, but it doesn't exactly strike me as being some sort of law of physics.* Several of his most senior lieutenants, including his deputy Tariq Aziz, have also sent their families on ahead to Syria before the fall of Baghdad. *Now Aziz does strike me as a runner. He also occupies a very high place on my list of people I'd like to see being stomped to death by a shrieking mob.* The Iraqi leader has an aircraft on stand-by 24 hours a day to fly him out of the country. The pilot will be Raad al-Tikriti, son of his former minister of defence. *Assuming Saddam is still in Baghdad, the only way that aircraft will get away is if the USAF is ordered to let it go. That's not impossible of course.* If his escape route is cut, Saddam wants his most trusted bodyguards to kill him. "Saddam will never be captured alive," Mr Wihaib added. *I repeat my preference for a howling mob. I'm sorta primitive that way. However, I'm pretty sure that I won't shock the sensibilities of the typical reader of Rantburg.* Mr Wihaib also revealed that Saudi diplomats acting as middlemen told the US that Saddam would leave Iraq — if Qusay was allowed to take over. President George W. Bush flatly rejected the deal. *If that's true, my congratulations to the President. Qusay might even be worse than Saddam.* |
| Posted by:Patrick Phillips |
| #5 |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-03-28 16:31:39 |
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| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-03-28 14:58:10 |
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| Posted by: Chuck 2003-03-28 07:57:00 |
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| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-03-28 05:47:25 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Patrick Phillips 2003-03-28 04:07:21 |