Posted on 03/02/2005 6:24:25 PM PST by NCjim
THE eldest son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was plotting to overthrow his father just as US troops advanced on Baghdad in March 2003, journalist Peter Arnett claimed in Playboy magazine.
Uday Hussein, known for his ruthlessness and flashy lifestyle, had won the support of the leadership of his father's Fedayeen militia to overthrow Saddam's 35-year rule, according to an advance copy of the April edition of Playboy obtained by AFP.
The controversial reporter, who was fired by the US Cable News Network in 2003 after suggesting the US war plan in Iraq had failed, made the claim following an 18-month investigation in which he says he gained access to Uday Hussein's inner circle.
The article cited a letter from Saddam Fedayeen commander General Maki Humudat, dated March 26, 2003, in which he swore allegiance to a new Iraqi government under the control of Fedayeen chief Uday Hussein.
"According to your direction and command to form a new government under the leadership of your Excellency (Uday), we have informed all the senior officers of the Saddam Fedayeen of your desire to appoint them as your candidates for office in your government," the letter said.
Uday had planned to announce his seizure of the crumbling reins of power later the same day, but was thwarted when US jets bombed his Youth TV studios in Baghdad, according to Arnett.
The ambitious heir had even formed a shadow government on the outskirts of his father's capital Baghdad, that was disguised under the cover of his powerful Iraqi National Olympic Committee and funded by murky oil deals, he said.
According to Arnett, the oldest son of the Iraqi dictator had long been chafing under his father's iron fisted rule and blamed his father for the punishing international sanctions on the country.
"Though it has not been reported until now, Uday Hussein was the biggest proponent of regime change inside Iraq," Arnett wrote.
"During the previous 10 years, he had slowly assembled the elements of power; military; military; and political management, designed to overthrow his tyrannical father," said the reporter who was in Baghdad as US troops approached following the launch of the March 19, 2003 US-led attack.
But, according to the journalist, Uday's coup plan came too late as US-led forces were just days away from the Iraqi capital.
He and his younger brother, Qusay, were forced to flee Baghdad along with their father as the Baath party military machine collapsed ahead of the US seizure of the city in early April.
Uday and Qusay were killed in a blistering battle in the northern city of Mosul on July 22, 2003, while Saddam Hussein was captured alive in his home town of Tikrit in December later that year.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Topple *DAD*.. I thought I read *dead*.
I don't believe a word of it coming from Peter Arnett, but I think we ought to give a copy of that Playboy article to Saddam just for fun.
I thought he was fired by NBC, not CNN.
> "Though it has not been reported until now, Uday
> Hussein was the biggest proponent of regime change
> inside Iraq," Arnett wrote.
Even if true (and coming from Arnett, it causes my
RatherMeter to swing negative), it hardly matters,
as Uday would have been at least as nasty as dad,
and equally interested in preserving, then expanding,
his power.
It will nonetheless be interesting to watch the legacy
media spin this bit of Arnett fantasizing.
Yeah, if this story came from anyone else I might belive it. But if Peter Arnett says the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, I doubt it. Everything he says is suspect.
And even if he did what difference would it have made?
I guess Hef offered him the services of a 'playmate' for the revelation...promised to get him his beeber stuned, or something like that.
(Combover guys need that....)
What the hell's the difference? One psycho for another.
And the rest of "the script":
"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time...they were about to go back to skool"...the police came looking to keel them..."
C'mon Mr. Arnet! Everything that has ever been written about Uday indicates that he would have been far worse than Saddam. Am I supposed to feel sorry for the late Uday? Am I suppose to think that the invasion wasn't necessary to get rid of Saddam? Only liberals have memories that short.
Peter Arnett has a lot of credibility! Not!
Boy, if it weren't for the pictures, I'd never read Playboy!
Looks like a couple of TOW-heads!
ROFL!
What bovine stupidity.
Since Peter Arnett is the only person telling us this news, I really don't believe it.
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