Posted on 12/14/2003 8:14:18 AM PST by kattracks
Just before dawn, at 5:14 am (1014 GMT), US President George W. Bush got the telephone call he had been hoping for: final word that the bearded man US forces had captured in Tikrit was Saddam Hussein.White House national security adviser Condoleezza Rice delivered the message minutes after hearing the news herself from the US civilian overseer for Iraq, Paul Bremer, Bush spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.
The US president, who had ordered a strike aimed at killing Saddam in the first minutes of the war in Iraq, "believes this is very good news for the Iraqi people. He is very happy for the Iraqi people," said McClellan.
"Saddam Hussein was a brutal oppressive dictator who was responsible for decades of atrocities. And the Iraqi people can finally be assured that Saddam Hussein will not be coming back. They can see it for themselves."
Bush was to speak publicly about the dramatic arrest from the White House Cabinet Room around noon (1700 GMT), said the spokesman, who gave a detailed account of the hours leading up to the certainty that Saddam was captured.
The US leader had learned at 3:15 pm (2015 GMT) on Saturday that US troops believed they had snared the elusive strongman, but he and other officials wanted to be absolutely sure -- what if it was one of his body doubles?
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld telephoned Bush at the Camp David retreat in neighboring Maryland's Catoctin mountains, cautiously beginning the exchange with "Mister President, the first reports are not always accurate..."
Bush broke in: "This sounds like it's going to be good news."
"General Abizaid called me. He feels confident that we got Saddam Hussein," said Rumsfeld, referring to John Abizaid, the commander of US forces in Iraq. "Well, that is good news," replied Bush.
They discussed the possibility that it could be an impostor, but after speaking with US authorities in Iraq, Rumsfeld called Bush back to say that "identifying marks" on the detainee's body left them "very confident" of having their man.
Bush notified Vice President Dick Cheney and Rice, who in turn called US Secretary of State Colin Powell, White House chief of staff Andy Card, and CIA director George Tenet.
The president also told First Lady Laura Bush "it looks like we've captured Saddam Hussein," said McClellan. She replied "great."
On Sunday, after getting final confirmation from Rice, Bush spoke to his principle partners in the war in Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar.
Bush also telephoned the acting president of the interim Governing Council in Iraq, Adnan Pachachi, and was to call other world leaders throughout the day, said the spokesman.
The US president told Pachachi that he had watched the Baghdad press conference at which the arrest was announced and that he was "particularly moved" by the joyful outburst of several Iraqis who shouted "Death to Saddam!"
The men stood up and thrust their arms at video images of the long-haired and white-bearded Saddam Hussein and later at a shaved picture of him.
"Long live Iraq," they shouted repeatedly.
Bush also spoke to Rumsfeld, Tenet, Abizaid, and Powell.
Bush broke in: "This sounds like it's going to be good news."
LOL!!
His neck needs to be shaved a little closer.
I was just saying to my hubby that Saddam looks like a pan-handler....Picture it: the stained t-shirt, the bottle of Mad Dog in the back pocket.... shaking down yuppies doe pocket change....
Tia
Separated at birth?
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