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Iraq Prime Minister - Tariq Aziz: Struck by Cancer
Saddam Hussein's right-hand man Tariq Aziz, officially Iraq's deputy prime minister, has been far less to the fore in recent weeks, in marked contrast to previous crises when he has been the voice of Iraq on Western television. His much lower profile has had some tongues wagging in Washington, New York City and elsewhere, with diplomats questioning whether he has fallen out of favor with his boss, a possibility some discounted considering he boasts one of the most impressive survival records in Iraqi politics. Even last year, when his son was arrested for taking bribes from a foreign importer, he appeared not to have lost the trust of the Iraqi dictator. In fact, the reason for his lower prominence is simple: Aziz, 66, who has been close to Saddam for more than a quarter of a century, is suffering from cancer and has had to make frequent trips to a cancer clinic in Johannesburg for treatment, according to well-placed sources in South Africa. Now, where did I put that itty bitty teeny violin... His illness has been a closely guarded secret. In October, The Times of London published a detailed profile of Aziz but failed to discover that he was ill. While undergoing treatment both in South Africa and Iraq, Aziz has been giving some media interviews, but Iraqi sources say his influence has waned somewhat with his frequent absences. This may go some way to explaining why Saddam decided to accept a return of U.N. inspectors -- Aziz is a hard-liner, and his illness could well have affected the mix of advice Saddam has been receiving, say diplomats contacted by Insight. Others dispute this, arguing that Aziz owes his survival to sycophancy. One apocryphal joke on the diplomatic circuit has Saddam asking Aziz the time. "What time would you like it to be, Mr. President?" Aziz replies. Posted by: Frank Martin 2002-12-06 |
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