Defiant misinformation minister still fighting on media frontline

The Guardian ^ | April 06, 2003 | Ian Black

[Dog Gone]

It was another tough day in front of the cameras for Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf. But if the Iraqi minister of information was feeling the strain now that the war has reached Baghdad, he certainly wasn't showing it.

Neat as ever in his rimless spectacles, green Ba'ath party uniform and black beret, the man who is Saddam Hussein's mouthpiece continued to spin loyally for his elusive master yesterday.

"This aggression will end in failure," he said, warning Baghdadis to beware of rumours and lies. "After its destruction, Iraq will remain and it will be led by President Saddam Hussein. This regime will not be destroyed by mercenaries."

Enemy troops, Mr Sahaf insisted to the now familiar forest of microphones at his noon press conference in the city's Palestine Hotel, had been hit by Iraqi missiles in the battle around Saddam International airport.

"We butchered the force present at the airport," he announced. But he did not mention any Iraqi casualties.

Mr Sahaf has become an unlikely media star, combining defiant and abusive language with a subtle awareness of the power of TV propaganda.

He is a master of plain-speaking, Ba'athist style, and appears to have few doubts about his own credibility, despite mounting evidence that much of what he says is quite untrue. He spends most of his time accusing the US and Britain of lying.

Last Wednesday, for example, he denied that American forces had crossed the Tigris. "They lie every day," he said. "Therefore what they say or allege about success and ad vances in Najaf and Kerbala are illusions. They also said they crossed the Tigris, which is another lie. As is what they said about Kut."

Now in his early 60s, Mr Sahaf was studying to be an English teacher in 1963 when he joined a group led by Saddam that targeted opponents of the then underground Ba'ath party.

In 1968, when the Ba'ath party took power, he was charged with securing the radio and television stations and was later put in charge of both outlets. Iraqis recall his bad temper and habit of meting out physical punishment to employees.

Later he served as Iraq's ambassador to India, Italy and the United Nations, foreign minister from 1993 to 2001, and has been information minister since then.

Subliminal messages are interwoven with his cruder points. In two briefings last week, he compared the US and Britain to the Roman Empire, speaking about Roman soldiers who stole from people at night only to offer them protection the next day - clearly suggesting that the objective of the war is to control Iraq's oil wealth under the pretext of ridding the country of Saddam.

Mr Sahaf is not part of the president's inner circle but he has played an important role in formulating Iraq's terminology for the conflict. "The international gang of outlaws," is one phrase he has coined to refer to George Bush and Tony Blair. "Crooks", "mercenaries", "fools", "stooges" and "racists" are also favourites.

His mixture of bombast, exaggerations and lies raises intriguing questions about how much ordinary Iraqis know about what is happening at this fateful moment. Late last week he was still scoffing at reports that US forces were at the gates of Baghdad.

"They have no foothold in Iraq," he told reporters. "We will welcome them with bullets and shoes." Being hit with a shoe is a grave insult in the Arab world.

Mr Sahaf has singled out the US defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, describing him as a "crook" and "the most despicable creature".

"I am sorry for using such language," he said in a recent interview on one of the Arab satellite stations that broadcast his briefings and have made him a star across the Middle East, "but with criminals who are killing the sons of our people with bombs, insults are not enough."

[goldstategop]

Our favorite Iraqi... the war would not be as diverting without him. He makes us crack up every time he appears on TV.

[Brad’s Gramma]

I like this guy better than Tariq!!!!!

You tell em Mr. Sahaf!!!!! Rummy BAD! You GOOD! Say it enough times even YOU might believe it!!!!

hahaahahahahaaaaaaa

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Where is Tariq Aziz anyway?

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Timm]

He is a master of plain-speaking, Ba'athist style, and appears to have few doubts about his own credibility, despite mounting evidence that much of what he says is quite untrue.

"mounting evidence"... hardy har har. The Guardian...sheesh.

[Boundless]

> ... the war would not be as diverting without him.

So what's the current Las Vegas line on when his final
appearance will air?

I have trouble imagining it will be more than 48 hours hence.

At the very least we'll schedule a downtown RIF to coincide
with the press conference.

[vigilante2]

The Misinformation Instigator

[pbear8]

Baghdad Bob is great, I hope he's live on TV when the Special Ops guys come for him.

[telebob]

"Now in his early 60s, Mr Sahaf was studying to be an English teacher in 1963 when he joined a group led by Saddam that targeted opponents of the then underground Ba'ath party.
In 1968, when the Ba'ath party took power, he was charged with securing the radio and television stations and was later put in charge of both outlets. Iraqis recall his bad temper and habit of meting out physical punishment to employees."

Yeah well, Baghdad Bob may be a laugh riot, but he is still a Baathist thug who will have to be dealt with...

[BOBTHENAILER]

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf today informed the world that the Medinah and al Nida divisions had routed the entire US Army, overran Israel and was halfway into Bejing in their drive for world domination.

[goldstategop]

Now THAT is something I dream of. I hope they drag him away scccccccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggggggg... ;-)

[goldstategop]

He'll tell us Iraqi scientists have discovered the secret of the universe. :)

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Keep in mind that this propaganda is for islamists Arabs outside Iraq and is designed to enflame hatred for America. The locals don't have access to television.

[The_Dogs_Of_War]

Picture this...

Baghdad Bob, flailing away during one of his bombastic press briefings for the cameras, continues on, ignoring the sudden presence of USA Marines that have just barged into his studio!!!

[this_ol_patriot]

Where is Tariq Aziz anyway?

Poor old Tariq was on the pot when the first bombs hit. They now call him "old funnel butt", I hear he is finally getting used to eating with a toilet seat around his waist.

[konaice]

"Baghdad Bob is great, I hope he's live on TV when the Special Ops guys come for him."

He almost was yesterday.

He was tapeing his comedy standup routine yesterday and in the background you could hear the police sirens of that roveing mob of police cars. Just so happens that at that time the police parade was outside the Palintinian hotel on the live-feed cams.

Centcom did not miss this fact, and dropped one VERY near the hotel shortly thereafter. Baghdad Bob was using an underground bunker near or under the hotel to do his tapeing.

AND, if you carefully watch, and look as some of the pictures that are released from his rantings, you will see that several of them are not connected to anything:
http://www.mcguff.long4net.com/PICS/IRAQ/DisinformationMinister.jpg

[per loin]

The Baghdad Bub does understand the importance of video images to the Arab street, something our own PR boys don't. I've yet to see films of that American plane sitting on the tarmac at Baghdad International. In fact I still see the signs saying "Saddam International" being broadcast on all the stations.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

When this is all over, Baghdad Bob and Mike McMurry, Clinton's old press secretary, can kick back, trade war stories, maybe co-author a book about flacking for sociopaths. Who knows, maybe CNN will even give offer them a joint gig.

Of course Bob will be dead, which could complicate things.

[konaice]

Taking off from there will be pretty dangerous for a while.
As long as there are sholder fired sams running around loose its going to require a steep climb while popping flares continuously to get out of there safely.

I don't think Centcom will be putting too many air assets on the ground there for a while.

[Guillermo]

And the morons over at DU believe everything he says...