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| Iraq |
| U.S. Officials: Saddam Seen on Stretcher After March 19 Strike |
| 2003-03-22 |
| Edited to just the new stuff. Saddam Hussein is seen being placed on a stretcher and into an ambulance in photographs in the possession of the U.S. government showing what is described as "panicked digging" at the bunker/command-and-control facility that was struck in the first strike of the war March 19, U.S. officials told Fox News late Friday. Bodies are seen as they are removed, and these officials are confident that Saddam was seen being placed upon a stretcher. Did the blanket extend over his face? Meanwhile, sources in the Iraqi opposition have told Fox News that the U.S. attack Wednesday night on a bunker at a command-and-control center in Baghdad came during an intelligence meeting headed by Qusay Hussein, Saddam's younger son. Qusay was wounded, opposition sources said. Also at the meeting during the U.S. strike were Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and Vice President Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri. The Iraqi opposition has no information that Saddam Hussein was injured. U.S. intelligence officials said Friday it was almost certainly Saddam, not a look-alike, who appeared in a video recording on Iraqi television a few hours after he was targeted by the American air strike. It is unclear whether the message was recorded before or after the strike, however. Officials said some reports indicate Saddam pre-recorded several speeches to air during fighting. I'll bet Sammy made videos for every day going into May. While Saddam read the date — March 20 — during his speech, that could have been pre-recorded. He did not speak specifically of the attack on him or other events that would positively confirm the message was recorded after the attacks. CIA and military analysts were vigorously reviewing this and other clues about the fate of Saddam, his inner circle and his two powerful sons who were also targeted in the attacks. Senior officials cautioned Friday that they do not know whether Saddam or his sons are alive or dead. U.S. intelligence believes they were inside a residential compound bombarded by American forces. Government officials were examining a request for medical attention that could indicate injuries to the senior Iraqi leaders. "We have reason to believe It wasn't for the valet. U.S. officials said intelligence indicated Saddam was still in the compound when U.S. bombs and missiles rained down late Wednesday night Washington time, about six hours after U.S. intelligence first detected that Saddam and his leadership might be there. If Saddam survived, U.S. officials hoped the surprise attack at least would leave him distrustful of his inner circle and suspecting betrayal by one of his advisers, leaving him less able to command. I saw a report somewhere that said that the news about Aziz fleeing was a CIA plant; they then followed him somehow after the press conference he gave denying that he left. When he arrived at where he was going, they decided that that was where Sammy was and launched the cruise missiles. Don't know if it's true, but what a great idea. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 I keep getting this "Matrix" flashback, a cell phone being turned on and dropped into the bushes outside the bunker's entrance. Thanks, Tariq... |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-03-22 18:20:01 |