Neither Hide Nor Hair (US Challenges Saddam to appear LIVE)

ABC News ^ | 3.31.03 | ABC News

[NYC Republican]

Neither Hide Nor Hair U.S.: Saddam Not Seen Live Since War Began; Explosions Rip Baghdad

B A G H D A D, Iraq, March 31 — In a taunt to the Iraqi regime, U.S. military officials today said the world had not seen "hide nor hair" of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein since the war began, as huge explosions again ripped the Iraqi capital, lighting up the Baghdad night sky.

Twelve days after U.S. decapitation strikes targeted a Baghdad suburb marking the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke today criticized the Iraqi president for not making a single live appearance.

"Since the coalition bombed Saddam's headquarters at the very beginning of the war, the world has neither seen his hide nor hair, only tapes," said Clarke. "We have not seen his sons."

Clarke's comments came hours after Iraqi TV showed taped images of Saddam with his two sons, Odai and Qusai. The footage was broadcast after Iraqi state TV resumed its service early today following heavy overnight strikes on the Ministry of Information.

[NYC Republican]

It's about time the US calls them out on this. Produce a live thread, or we'll all see the truth, that SH is pushing up daisies... I truly believe that when the enemy realizes that he's 6 feet under, it will be a huge, demoralizing defeat for them. It would allow the people to feel more empowered to revolt.

[denydenydeny]

They must have finally concluded that Saddam is dead. A live Saddam would not be able to resist a challenge like this.

[b4its2late]

He's dead, Jim!

[Hodar]

Just my thoughts....

Appear live. We'll tap the feeds, find out where you are broadcasting from .... and instead of 2 cruise missles, we'll send 30. Instead of 3 guided bombs, 30. Then a MOAB just for kicks.

[Redleg Duke]

Hard for a dead man to appear live!

[NYC Republican]

Absolutely. The biggest morale boost for his troops, and the general population, would be to come out and talk about a recent event, proving to all that he is, in fact, alive and in charge. They can fool most of the population with those dated videoclips- but only for so long...

They'll soon run out of video that can be spliced and edited, making claims that it's current.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

A live if he is, but I think he is not, press conference. Let some of our idiot reporters, ask him about attrocities of his regime.

[TonyInOhio]

He's dead, Jim!

Or, in the case of the Pillsbury Doughboy:

"He's bread, Jim!"

[NYC Republican]

Aziz says that it's a US ploy- challenge him to come out, broadcast something live, and we'll take him out... He can pull an OBL (who, by the way, I'm convinced is also very much dead), and videotape it from his rathole, and have it delivered to someone in the media, for broadcast.

[djpg]

Where is Peter Jennings? It took him only a couple of hours after the 9/11 attack to criticize Bush for not being before the public. Why, after all of these days, does he not criticize Saddam for being absent for a week and a half?

[Huck]

A live if he is, but I think he is not, press conference. Let some of our idiot reporters, ask him about attrocities of his regime.

Yodaic syntax.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I can see a "Weekend at Bernie's" routine coming on.

[ChemistCat]

[b4its2late]

LOL!

[dead]

Astute observation, you have made.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Yodaic syntax.

I feel the farce.

[RonF]

If I were Saddam, I wouldn't do this. The true believers won't believe he's dead until we produce the body, and even then they'll accuse us of faking it. And uncertainty on the matter serves him more than it does us. Osama found that our uncertainty on his death served him. It also serves Saddam.

[Allegra]

Dead people vote Democrat in our elections here all the time...so why can't a dead guy make a live broadcast? Hmmmmmmmm?

[Dimensio]

I can see a "Weekend at Bernie's" routine coming on.

[cymeckajax3]

I think I'll rent weekend at Sadams'!!!!