I did my duty to the last, says Saddam's Information Minister

Hindu ^ | June 28, 2003 | AP

[fightinJAG]

I did my duty to the last, says Saddam's Information Minister

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf on the Arab television on Thursday. — AP

DUBAI JUNE 27. Iraq's former Information Minister, famed for pugnacious and transparently false claims during the war, now says his bogus statements were made in good faith and that he was getting scant information toward the end of the conflict.

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf showed up on Arab television on Thursday in his first appearance since the collapse of the Saddam Hussein's regime. Mr. Al-Sahhaf had been a regular sight on TV before and during the U.S.-led war, speaking about non-existent Iraqi military successes and insulting coalition forces.

"I was an Information Minister, and I fulfilled my duty to the last moment," he told Abu Dhabi television in an interview on Thursday. "During the last two days, I was in contact with only a few military men."

Mr. Al-Sahhaf insisted that he had been convinced of what he had told the international media.

He also granted an interview to the Al-Arabiya satellite network, in which he claimed he had surrendered to American forces, was questioned and let go, according to an excerpt from the interview. The full 30-minute interview was scheduled for Friday night.

In the Abu Dhabi interview, al-Sahhaf referred to his famous denial in April that U.S. tanks were in Baghdad, even as television pictures showed them in the city. He acknowledged that he had known they were there, but said the Iraqi military had promised him it was not a problem.

"But there were few tanks, and the military sources said that they would deal with the infiltration and that the situation was under control," he said.

"The information was correct, but the interpretation was not correct."

Mr. Al-Sahhaf also said he didn't know the whereabouts of Iraq's fugitive leadership, and hinted that he might write book. The interviews came after a Wednesday report in Britain's Daily Mirror that Al-Sahhaf had been taken into custody. The Dubai-based Al-Arabiya said their interview, conducted in a Baghdad suburb, aimed to dispel that claim.

"I was interrogated about a number of subjects related to my job. After that, I was released," he said. Mr. Al-Sahhaf is not on the list of the 55 most wanted Iraqi officials. — AP

[prisoner6]

Good. Well done.

Kill him.

NOW!

prisoner6

[fightinJAG]

Mr. Al-Sahhaf also said he didn't know the whereabouts of Iraq's fugitive leadership, and hinted that he might write book.

Fiction or non-fiction? How will we tell?

[Semper Paratus]

hinted that he might write book

That would be one wild book tour.

[Naspino]

I hope the US got him to do one last broadcast in front of his usual spot denying that the US occupied Iraq while US soldiers walked around behind him. That was the shot I had wanted to see.

[tsmith130]

Fiction or non-fiction? How will we tell?

If he has the same ghost writers as Hillary, you'll know!

[Gorzaloon]

"The information was correct, but the interpretation was not correct."

Hahaha! He is STILL AT IT!

Somebody has to make sure that somehow, he gets to see "his" website.

[fightinJAG]

Oh, yeah, I didn't think about the book tour. You are so right.

[aShepard]

.......that he might write book......

Goodie, more employment for Hil's truthful ghost writers!

[B Knotts]

Actually, I thought al-Sahhaf was one of Hillary's ghost writers.

[pogo101]

Kill him?? Pitiable and laughable he is, but I don't know of any crimes he's committed.

I see a real future for this guy. THE NEXT "JOE ISUZU"!

[Hila]

Yeah, a wild book he would write - actually a book packed with lies. We already have too many liberal liars writing books, no need for a foreign one. He says did his job till the end, indeed telling lies is his way of life, the destination, though, a lake of fire that is not hospitable at all.

[AFreeBird]

If he has the same ghost writers as Hillary, you'll know!

Hell, he could BE Hitlary's ghost writer. OR he should at least be a good candidate for one.

[truth_seeker]

As the "clash of civilizations" continues over the next several years, I hope the opposition has many more men such as this fellow.

It is revealing that so very many of the muslim-arab citizenry BELIEVE the stuff. When you live in a society, a culture, practice a religion which thrives on lies, the truth means nothing.

And your soldiers get squashed, because they aren't even warned to retreat. Such will be some of the continuing war.

It isn't surprising, that some of the smarter leaders have re-directed their efforts, from conventional warfare to terrorism.

[Bubba_Leroy]

[D-fendr]

I fulfilled my duty to the last moment…

Oh, I dunno, Bob, I can think of one last duty you could fulfill - martyrdom.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Another liar lying about lying. Clinton redux.

[2Smart2BLiberal]

In a weird way, OK, REALLY weird, I kind of admire the guy for doing his job up til the bitter end. Every other Baath weenie was slithering under rocks. This guy stood his ground. He looked like a complete idiot, and the world laughed at him, but he was nothing if not dedicated and sincere.

I do believe, though, that he attended the Bill Clinton School of Semantics. Graduated at the top of the class.

[dighton]

[Imal]

There isn't a major political or media organization in the world that couldn't use this man's obvious talent.

Good old Comical Ali! The future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades.

P.S. Are we sure he doesn't already work for CNN? I could have sworn I saw him as a fill-in anchor the other night.