‘WE GOT HIM’ ~ 4th Infantry Captures Saddam Near Tikrit

American Forces Press Service ^ | Dec. 14, 2003 | Jim Garamone

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Paul Bremer watches the video of Saddam Hussein going through his medical examination shortly after his capture while it was being briefed to the media gathered at the Iraqi Forum in Baghdad, Dec. 14, 2003. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Steven Pearsall
‘WE GOT HIM’
4th Infantry Captures Saddam Near Tikrit
By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003 — With three words – “We got him” – Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III announced at a press briefing in Baghdad today that U.S. forces had captured Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit. Saddam was taken into custody at a small mud-walled compound outside the village of Adwar at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 13. About 600 members of the 1st Brigade, 4 th Infantry Division, along with special operations forces, launched Operation Red Dawn after receiving intelligence that Saddam was in the area, said Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in the country. Bremer, the coalition administrator, said it was a “great day” in Iraq's history. “For decades, hundreds of thousands of you suffered at the hands of this cruel man,” he said. “For decades, Saddam Hussein divided citizens against each other. For decades, he threatened and attacked your neighbors. Those days are over forever.” The ambassador called on Iraqis to look to the future. He urged those who supported Saddam to reexamine their views and cooperate to build a new Iraq. “Your future has never been more full of hope,” he said. Sanchez described the operation that captured Saddam. The general said it was a cordon-and-search operation, and coalition forces sustained no casualties. In fact, he said, coalition forces never fired a shot. “For the last several months, a combination of human intelligence tips, exceptional intelligence analytical efforts and detainee interrogations narrowed down the activities of Saddam Hussein,” Sanchez said. Sanchez said intelligence pointed to two likely spots where Saddam could be hiding. He said the Americans struck with lightning speed under cover of darkness. The troops initially did not find Saddam. “As a result, the 1 st Brigade Combat Team elected to cordon the area and conduct an extensive search,” Sanchez said. “Coalition forces subsequently found a suspicious location.” In the search, U.S. forces discovered a “spider hole.” “After uncovering the spider hole, a search was conducted and Saddam Hussein was found hiding at the bottom of the hole,” Sanchez said. “Saddam was captured without resistance.” Coalition forces moved the former Iraqi dictator to a secure area, and he has undergone medical tests and questioning. Bremer said Saddam was “cooperative and talkative.”	Photos of Saddam Hussein shown during a briefing at the Iraqi Forum in Baghdad, Dec. 14, 2003. Troops from the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein without incident Dec. 13. Saddam was found hiding in a storehouse at a remote farmhouse near Tikrit, Iraq. Defense Dept. photos   Coalition forces also uncovered some weapons and $750,000 in $100 bills. Two other Iraqis were detained. Sanchez showed a video of the spider hole and then showed Saddam undergoing medical tests. Iraqi journalists at the press conference erupted at the sight of Saddam, shaking their fists and shouting “Death to Saddam.” The Iraqi dictator had a full beard and looked disheveled.   Sanchez called the capture of Saddam “a defining moment in the new Iraq.” he said the capture brings closure to the Iraqi people. “Saddam Hussein will never return to a position of power from which he can punish, terrorize, intimidate or exploit the Iraqi people as he did for more than 35 years,” the general said. Saddam will continue to be held at an undisclosed location. The determination on how to try Saddam will be made later. Pentagon officials said President Bush was informed of the possible capture yesterday. It was confirmed to him this morning. The streets of Baghdad erupted with “celebratory gunfire,” according to correspondents in the Iraqi capital. Officials said some Iraqi regime diehards may launch attacks, but that coalition forces are prepared. In the long term, officials said, they see the capture as going a long way to bring stability to the country. Bremer and Sanchez, while visibly pleased by the capture, said much work remains to be done in Iraq, and pledged to continue working with the Iraqi Governing Council to build a new Iraq.   Briefing Transcript     Briefing Slides

[elbucko]

CAUGHT AT LAST, CAUGHT AT LAST,
THANK GOD ALMIGHTY AND THE US ARMY,
HUSSEIN'S CAUGHT AT LAST

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Sanchez described the operation that captured Saddam. The general said it was a cordon-and-search operation, and coalition forces sustained no casualties. In fact, he said, coalition forces never fired a shot.

“For the last several months, a combination of human intelligence tips, exceptional intelligence analytical efforts and detainee interrogations narrowed down the activities of Saddam Hussein”

-- The streets of Baghdad erupted with “celebratory gunfire,” according to correspondents in the Iraqi capital. Officials said some Iraqi regime diehards may launch attacks, but that coalition forces are prepared. In the long term, officials said, they see the capture as going a long way to bring stability to the country.

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Last one, I think...and not enough from our troops, who are probably still smiling too broadly to appear on int'l TV. (^:
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If anyone from Intel stops by on the way to the DNC war room, FR is an all-American forum that does not allow personal attacks, racism, hate speech or the incitement of violence. God bless America, and our troops serving around the world!

[SAMWolf]

A deeply saddened Senator Tom Dashole reacts to the news of Saddam's capture.

[Joy Angela]

Next Capture:

HILLARY

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

If you ever left a message on an answering machine you can do this!
It's really that simple. AND It's a Toll Free Number !

You can leave one or more new messages each day.

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The cut-off date for the call in is tomorrow,
Monday Dec.15.
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[Joy Angela]

What is a "spider hole?"

[Viking2002]

The news and info is flowing so fast, it makes my head spin. But thank God he's finally been run down and locked up. I can only imagine the thoughts running through the head of the G.I. when he realized who he was looking at in the bottom of that hole.

[Joy Angela]

oh no. I think I just set up a really baaad
joke.

Saddam was caught in a Spider's Hole.

That is, he was in a Black-Spiders Hole
AKA Hillary Clinton

[Dog]

Camouflaged enemy foxhole... ...the VC used them in Nam.

[Joy Angela]

Thank you, Dog!!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Lol!

[jaz.357]

I wonder if he was "FROG MARCHED" out of that spider hole!

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Spider Hole

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

The History of Spider Holes =

"I personally extracted a PAVN (Soldier of the Peoples Army of Communist Norht Vietnam) from a Spider Hole" =

...Colonel HAL G. MOORE at the Battle of BONG SON, South Vietnam-1966

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"SADDAM HUSSSEIN was captured like a RAT in a Spider Hole" =

...Liberating U.S. Military in Iraq-2003


Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer / A Radioman-Driver-Orderly to then Lt. Col. HAL G. MOORE in the opening days of the Vietnam War-1965

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
(Photos)

NEVER FORGET

[Joy Angela]

It's a miracle that US Troops
were able to find Saddam's hiding place.

What a story!!

[boxerblues]

The 4ID can go ahead and gloat, it'll take days to wipe the grin off those guys face ...excellent job guys

[veronica]

The words 'We got him,' spoken by U.S. Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer at a press conference announcing the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein are illuminated on the air traffic control tower at Basrah International Airport, in Southern Iraq, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2003. The message was written by the employees of the control tower. (AP Photo/Royal Navy via PA, Paul A'Barrow)

[Joy Angela]

>>
"SADDAM HUSSSEIN was captured like a RAT in a Spider Hole" <<

RAT = DemoncRAT

Let's Catch those RATS!!!

GO BUSH!!!!

[blackie]

We've smoked Saddam out of his spider hole ~ the democrats are sad ~ very sad! :)