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Report: Saddam Writing Poetry in Prison
ABC News ^ | 7/26/04 | AP

Posted on 07/26/2004 11:08:51 AM PDT by Gucho

LONDON July 26, 2004 — Saddam Hussein appears depressed and demoralized in solitary confinement, spending his time writing poetry, tending a garden and reading the Quran, according to a report published Monday in The Guardian newspaper. One of Saddam's poems is about George Bush, though the report did not specify whether that referred to President Bush or his father, Saddam's foe in the 1991 Gulf War.

The newspaper quoted Bakhtiar Amin, the human rights minister in the new Iraqi government, who said he had visited Saddam's cell on Saturday. Amin said he did not speak to the former Iraqi leader.

Bakhtiar said Saddam appeared "in good health and being kept in good conditions," but he "appeared demoralized and dejected," The Guardian reported.

Saddam's air-conditioned cell in a U.S. military prison is 10 feet wide and 13 feet long, Amin said. Saddam is not allowed to mix with other prisoners.

Amin had little to report on Saddam's poetry. "One of the poems is about George Bush, but I had no time to read it," Amin said.

He reported that Saddam was being treated for high blood pressure and a chronic prostate infection, and was gaining weight after losing 11 pounds during a time when he resisted all fatty foods.

Saddam and other detainees get an MRE (meal ready to eat) breakfast, and hot food twice a day, Amin said. Dessert might include oranges, apples, pears or plums, but Saddam also likes American muffins and cookies, The Guardian quoted Amin as saying.

Saddam is not allowed newspapers, TV or radio, but has access to 145 books mostly travel books and novels donated by the Red Cross.

Amin said Saddam tends a garden during his daily three-hour exercise period.

"He is looking after a few bushes and shrubs and has even placed a circle of white stones around a small palm tree," said Amin. "His apparent care for his surroundings is ironic when you think he was responsible for one of the biggest ecocides when he drained the southern marshes."

Amin, a Kurd from Kirkuk, was reportedly the first member of the new Iraqi government to visit Saddam.

During his visit, Amin said he met Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali, who allegedly ordered the use of chemical weapons against Kurds in the late 1980s; Saddam's half-brother, Barzan al-Tikriti, a former intelligence chief who was Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva until 1998; and Saddam's personal secretary, Abid Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti.

Amin said he was approached by al-Tikriti, who was standing next to Ali Hassan al-Majid.

"Minister, what am I doing here?" Amin quoted al-Tikriti as saying. "I am not like the others, I am not like Ali Hassan al-Majid." Al-Tikriti asked that the message be passed on to Kurdish leaders and to new Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

"I tried to control my emotions, but to be honest I wanted to vomit," The Guardian quoted Amin as saying.

"There before me were the men responsible for the industrial pain of Iraq mass murderers who were responsible for turning Iraq into a land of mass graves."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; prisonersaddam
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To: MeekOneGOP; The Mayor; JustAmy

Coffee ping!


101 posted on 07/28/2004 9:35:00 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: Conspiracy Guy

What goes in must come out...


102 posted on 07/28/2004 9:35:33 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: gimme1ibertee

"Re the pic of Scumbag in cuffs-
Oh, if only it COULD be!!!"

BUT HE'S STILL SMILING (in that picture)!!!!


103 posted on 07/28/2004 9:37:07 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: Allegra

But he doesn't know English, at least that is the way he tried to make it look in his interview with Dan Rather...


104 posted on 07/28/2004 9:40:02 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: MeekOneGOP; Happy2BMe

If Rielly didn't grill Moron, what was the point of his interview?


105 posted on 07/28/2004 9:44:05 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: Lazamataz

Laz, I don't know if Saddaam actually did that, but that HAS been done in Communist China.


106 posted on 07/28/2004 9:45:37 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker
hehe! Wally World, maybe ?? :^D

107 posted on 07/28/2004 9:58:30 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: MeekOneGOP

Naw, sounds like something you created!!!!!


108 posted on 07/28/2004 10:02:26 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker; Happy2BMe
If Rielly didn't grill Moron, what was the point of his interview?

The way I understood it, O'Reilly bumped into fat man at the 'RAT Convention (I assume that's where) and talked to him, asked him to come on to answer some questions about his BS "Crockumentary". Moron agreed, but only if he could ask O'Reilly questions as well.


109 posted on 07/28/2004 10:02:52 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: MeekOneGOP

Sounds like another Moron rip-off, Reilly should be smarter than that. Has Reilly forgotten why we watch him?


110 posted on 07/28/2004 10:09:57 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker
hehe! Well, only the coffee maker part. :^)

111 posted on 07/28/2004 10:16:21 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker
It was disappointing. Like Bill didn't try too hard or something. I don't get it.

112 posted on 07/28/2004 10:18:01 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker
And I'll just bet that Moron posts on his website how he blew O'Reilly away
and blah! blah! blah! He didn't blow Bill away. He did EVADE and spin,
however.

113 posted on 07/28/2004 10:20:30 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: MeekOneGOP

I wish someone as popular as Reilly and with the interview skills of a lawyer or a detective would interview Moron. That would be a documentary worth paying to see!


114 posted on 07/28/2004 10:24:46 AM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker
Yep! And yes, it would be.

115 posted on 07/28/2004 10:38:47 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: MeekOneGOP; PreviouslyA-Lurker; Salem; dennisw; SJackson; FBD; PhilDragoo; potlatch; Mia T; ...
Is FR slow today or is it just my cable connection?

O'Reilly actually (by a fluke) bumped into Moron on the street outside of the DNC convention building and that's how they met and set up the interview on the street.

O'Reilly didn't do a bad job, but the one question I wanted him to ask Moron wasn't asked:

">Why are you demoralizing our troops who are fighting and dying in Iraq with your 9/11 film?"

The second question I would have asked is:

"Why are you befriending nataions and are considered a hero in the nations that are anti-American and pro Islamic terrorists?"

And the third:

"Why has Al Qaeda approved of your film and recommending it's showing throughout all Islamic nations?"

Feel free to send this to Bill at foxnews.com

116 posted on 07/28/2004 10:40:38 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (JOHN KERRY is as much like the WORKING MAN as WHOOPIE GOLDBERG is to GEORGE W. BUSH! - Vote BUSH!)
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To: Happy2BMe

117 posted on 07/28/2004 10:54:38 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: Happy2BMe
And it does seem a bit slow for me too.
I have Comcast Broadband Cable as well.

118 posted on 07/28/2004 10:55:29 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: PreviouslyA-Lurker; Conspiracy Guy; Lazamataz; JustAmy; xsmommy; NYC GOP Chick; Gabz; Argh; ...
The Questions Bill O' Reilly Failed To Ask Michael Moore
   

119 posted on 07/28/2004 11:13:17 AM PDT by Happy2BMe (JOHN KERRY is as much like the WORKING MAN as WHOOPIE GOLDBERG is to GEORGE W. BUSH! - Vote BUSH!)
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To: Happy2BMe

FR has been slow for me too.

I think sending those questions to Bill is a good idea, thanx!


120 posted on 07/28/2004 12:05:11 PM PDT by PreviouslyA-Lurker (al-Qa'ida terrorists are cowards who hide behind masks and decapitate helpless victims.)
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