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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Saddam's views on Iran, his legacy, Gulf States, and more |
| 2004-10-06 |
| Edited for brevity. Hat tip: Drudge Saddam Hussein was obsessed with his status in the Arab world, dreaming of weapons of mass destruction to pump up his prestige. And even as the United States fixated on him, he was fixated on his neighboring enemy, Iran. That is the picture that emerges from interrogations of the former Iraqi leader since his capture last December, according to the final report of the chief U.S. arms inspector, which gives a first glimpse into what the United States has gleaned about Saddam's hopes, dreams and insecurities. The report suggests that Saddam tried to improve relations with the United States in the 1990s, yet basked in his standing as the only leader to stand up to the world's superpower. It says Saddam was determined that if Iran was to acquire nuclear weapons, so was Iraq. And it says he was a narcissist who cared deeply about his legacy, making sure bricks were molded with his name in hopes people would admire them for centuries to come. Officials have said that interrogations of Saddam, first by the CIA and then by the FBI, have yielded little helpful information about weapons programs and the insurgency in Iraq. But Tuesday's report shows they have provided new insight into his thinking. Saddam was angry that other Persian Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, enjoyed good standing in the West. "His regime views the Gulf Arabs as undeserving," the report said. "They did not earn respect; the West simply wanted their oil." |
| Posted by:Dar |
| #4 good point RJ. I noticed it's Yahoo Asia. Every headline I read on Yahoo seems slanted to favor Kerry - though it's more subtle than CBS. Is this just an attempt to build on the liberal meme that Sadaam wasn't a threat to us? Iraq was stable - but now it's chaos. He was only trying to reign in that mean old Iran. yadda yadda Someday, these people who now make the argument for leaving Sadaam in power, will have to answer questions from their grandchildren as to why they were willing to look away from the state sanctioned rape rooms, tortue and genocide. Just like the Germans who apologized for Hitler - those who excuse mass-murderer Sadaam will have to face the look of disappointment in the eyes of their grandchildren, who will be unable understand the reasons for their moral cowardice. |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-06 11:13:50 PM |
| #3 Bunch of bullshit. If Saddam wanted to be friends with the west he could have done everything the UN wanted, got a clean bill of health by 1993, and removed sanctions and worked his way towards close friendship with the west as the bulwark against Iran. Saddam wanted power and couldn't conceave of bending to anyone elses will. |
| Posted by: RJSchwarz 2004-10-06 10:53:17 PM |
| #2 "And it says he was a narcissist who cared deeply about his legacy..." That rings a bell, somehow... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2004-10-06 10:07:03 PM |
| #1 It's all coming out. So wild stuff here, and a lot to think about. |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-10-06 9:49:58 PM |