Saddam Seen to Have Backed Iraq Peace Envoys

Reuters ^ | 11-07-03

[Brian S]

Nov. 7 — By Joseph Logan

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iraqi intelligence officials seeking a last-minute deal with Washington to avert war appeared to have the backing of Saddam Hussein, a Lebanese businessman who relayed the offer to U.S. officials said on Friday.

Imad Hage, who told U.S. officials of proposals to let Washington scour Iraq for weapons of mass destruction and hand over an al Qaeda figure, said the Iraqis were rattled by the threat of war and apparently chose him for his Pentagon contacts.

"I had had no prior dealings with him," Hage told Reuters of a meeting in Beirut in February with Hassan al-Obeidi, a senior official of Iraq's intelligence service, brokered by a Lebanese associate of Hage's.

Asked whether the peace offers undertaken before war broke out in March had the backing of Saddam, Hage replied that the Iraqi peace envoys left little doubt.

"He (Obeidi) came with this associate, who said 'This is real.' I was flabbergasted as to why me in particular. I had lived in the United States, know people in Washington and this apparently made them consider me a means to communicate this."

Hage said he had a series of meetings with Obeidi and a second intelligence official, Tahir Habboush, in Lebanon and Iraq over the course of February and March, in which the Iraqi proposal took shape.

"The broad outline had to do with allowing as many as 2,000 U.S. agents, whether FBI or scientists, to visit Iraq and verify the absence of weapons of mass destruction," he said, adding it came to include turning over Abdul Rahman Yasin, wanted in connection with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

"This was to be in addition to concessions on oil deals for the United States, agreeing not to obstruct any U.S. peace deal in the Middle East and to having free elections within two years," he said.

PERLE MEETING

Hage, an insurance executive educated in the United States, described the proposal as it unfolded to personal acquaintances in the Defense Department with the aim of reaching Richard Perle, an influential Pentagon adviser whom he himself met.

"I had met Richard through acquaintances in the past, and thought he'd be one of the people to pass it on to," he said of his March meeting with Perle, who he said seemed willing to at least hear the offer.

"He said he would meet with them but he needed approval of higher-ups in Washington," Hage said. "It came back that there was no interest in this proposal."

The White House said on Thursday it exhausted all peaceful opportunities before invading Iraq on March 20, without clarifying whether President Bush had been aware of the offer relayed by Hage.

Hage said that his Iraqi interlocutors continued to contact him up until the days before the war, apparently in hopes of renewing the offer Perle had said Washington didn't want.

"When Richard said it was no go, I considered it a dead deal. But Obeidi kept on calling this office," he said.

[nuffsenuff]

Anyone else wondering why this story is getting any traction whereas "The Memo" isn't?

One story is about Saddam Hussein failing at an attempted delay tactic. The other is about potentially treasonous activity.

Which one is more important?

I hate liberals.

[AD from SpringBay]

As I understand it this took place just days after the "Mission Accomplished" banners had been ordered at the Austin TX RNC-run powerhouse, "Banners-R-Us" and only a month after the entire next 20 years had been planned at the Governor's mansion in Texas. Saddam was even willing to limit the number of rapes at his rape centers and included the potential allowance for some French verifications that his non-existant WMD had, indeed, not been left in Iraq. All the more insidious.

[MJY1288]

I wonder how much the Democrats on the Intel Committee paid this guy Hage to start this 2004 "Tears for Saddam" Tour?

Of all the crap coming from the left to undermine this President, This story takes the cake.

[cdrw]

you beat me to it - my sentiments exactly.

[nuffsenuff]

I've always heard the term "dripping with sarcasm" and never really knew what it meant until I read your post.

[Just mythoughts]

I wondered which of the "tiny 9" this guy had given campaign money to.

"Joe Wilson" turns out to be a "KERRY" supporter.

Probably expect to hear a hundred of these stories coming out over the next year. Interesting what, the "INTEL" known and not known is the issue.

[ValerieUSA]

What a load of crap. How can a reporter believe one word? Are reporters really this stupid, or are they willing and proud participants in this international anti-America pro-Saddam propaganda effort?

[nuffsenuff]

I don't really care how Hannity reacted. I care how I reacted to it when I read it.

A plan was being discussed to use intel for political purposes during an election year. That's BS.

But back to thread... Saddam's delay tactic. We didn't go for it. The game was over.

[MJY1288]

Name some of these conservatives NEWBIE

[MJY1288]

Politicizing the Intel Committee is not free speach slick, it's called undermining our national security and borderline treason. Read the memo

[sarasota]

Who on earth has dumbed themselves down enough to believe Saddam had any intention of caving?

[nuffsenuff]

Liberals who prefer to give Saddam Hussein the benefit of the doubt over their own government...

AKA. Democrats seeking to regain power.

[dinasour]

and only a month after the entire next 20 years had been planned at the Governor's mansion in Texas

That is a bald faced lie. Every one knows that "there is no plan at all". Charlie Rangle says so. He of all people would know.

[eyespysomething]

As Rumsfeld said yesterday- There was no reason for him to go through back channels.

He had a standing deadline, didn't he, there at the end, of 48 hours? He could have done something then. Too bad so sad.

Next time Bush says "You've got 48 hours" I bet they will think "Hey! I've got 48 hours."

I like when people say what they mean and mean what they say.

[cwb]

What the hell are you babbling about? Every conservative I've seen...including moderate Republicans, are outraged over the memo. If it wasn't a big deal, you wouldn't have the Dems scrambling like they are to undercut its substance.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Almost up to the point the bombs began to fall in Bagdad, Saddam could have stopped the war by giving in to the UN (even if he did not mean to follow up on anything)

Saddam (for reasons that I can not understand) thought President Bush was bluffing. He lost that bet.

At this point, I will let history sort it out.

[kevao]

We've always had politics and free speech in Washington. What's new with this memo is that one political party is planning to politicize the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, which by nature must remain bi-partisan. Or do you think politicizing intelligence is a good thing?

[cwb]

Saddam was even given the chance to walk away, taking sanctuary with another country, and he chose not to. You begin to lose a little credibility after a decade and numerous violations of UN resolutions. His last attempt to save his own skin met with failure for good reasons.