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| Axis of Evil | |
| Arab officials dismiss idea of Saddam stepping down | |
| 2003-01-17 | |
| Arab officials dismissed on Friday the idea that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein might step down and go into exile to avert a U.S.-led war on his country, saying there was no such proposal. The officials and Iraq observers said considering Saddam's intimidating persona no Arab official or even people from his inner circle would consider presenting such an idea to the man who has ruled Iraq with an iron fist for more than two decades. "Those who recently saw Saddam say the idea of exile is not something that would even cross his mind," said Iraq expert Khairallah Khairallah. One senior Arab official told Reuters: "Until now nobody has proposed to President Saddam anything or talked to him about exile or resignation". "All these reports are wishful thinking and aimed at local consumption. Saddam will not step down," a Gulf official added. There's a whole lot of denying going on. The officials said speculation in the media and in diplomatic circles was part of a U.S.-led campaign of psychological warfare to undermine Saddam's will to fight and encourage a coup against him. They said Arab leaders familiar with the Iraqi leader's personality were unlikely to make such a bold suggestion. "Rumours have been floated that Arab leaders are pressing Saddam Hussein to quit and seek asylum overseas. In view of Saddam's character and record, this is a wholly unrealistic scenario," Middle East analyst Patrick Seale said. "They are trying to provoke the Iraqi leadership to anger, and perhaps goad it into an impulsive act of hostility by a campaign of psychological warfare," he said in a commentary published in Dubai's Gulf News daily this week. "Bwaah Ha Ha Ha Ha! The Evil Plan Ver 2.4!" Long-time observers of the Baghdad government say not even high-ranking members of Saddam's entourage have the courage to present him with such a proposal. "Hey Sammy, what do you think about the whole exile idea?" BANG! "Ouch" "I don't believe that any Arab envoy can deliver such a message to Saddam given his character and conflictive ties with his neighbours but maybe a non-Arab could be able to do it when the time comes," said Khairallah. Maybe Blix will ask during his visit? In Damascus, a top Iraqi envoy branded as absurd reports that Saddam was negotiating exile in a sympathetic state. "This is absurdity," Ali Hassan al-Majeed, a Revolutionary Command Council member and cousin of Saddam, told Reuters. "It's a psychological war technique, and if you ask an infant in Iraq he wouldn't believe such reports." German magazine Der Spiegel said Iraq was seeking guarantees to let Saddam and top aides to go into exile as a way to end current tension, possibly to an African state. The magazine later said its story was based on reports from other news agencies and not its own sources. So they just picked it up off the wire. Where did it start? Fred, was that you?
In Washington, a Gulf diplomat said Saudi Arabia had proposed that the United Nations or world community offer amnesty to all but the most prominent Iraqis, ruling out Saddam. The idea would be to encourage a last-minute coup against Saddam, averting the bloodshed of a war, said the diplomat. The Gulf diplomat said the Saudis would advocate their idea next week at a meeting in Turkey, where the leaders of Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey are expected to discuss ways of averting a U.S. attack. "Hey, Saddam! It's the Saudi's idea! They're behind the whole thing. They're laughing at you! Are you just going to sit there and let them do that? Come on, what are you waiting for? What are you, chicken?" | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 Another one. 1/17/03. What's up? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-05-26 12:16:34 PM |
| #1 I think he should become iraqi pool boy cause it is time to stop the blood shed ! |
| Posted by: REZANATOR 2004-05-26 11:57:20 AM |