Saddam negotiating with US: press

The Age ^ | September 21, 2003

[yonif]

Ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has reportedly been in secret negotiations with US forces for the past nine days.

According to the Sunday Mirror report, Saddam was demanding safe passage to the former Soviet republic of Belarus in exchange for information on weapons of mass destruction and his bank accounts.

US President George W Bush was being kept up to date on the talks by his national security adviser Condoleeza Rice who was coordinating negotiations led by US general Ricardo Sanchez, the Sunday Mirror said.

Sanchez is the commander of US forces in Iraq.

"A representative of Saddam in Western-style civilian clothes came to coalition people at Tikrit at sunset on September 12. He led them to a house where the security official was waiting," the Sunday Mirror quoted a senior Iraqi as saying.

"The discussions are now going on under the direct authority of General Sanchez," the source said, according to the newspaper.

The source maintained that Saddam had decided to seek a deal "because he is desperate, trapped and finding fewer and fewer people willing to give him shelter," the tabloid said.

[Bogey78O]

Hmmm..do we let him stay in exile in a 3rd country ala Idi Amin in exchange for proof validating this war and proving the liberals wrong or do we tell him "nuts!" and continue on?

[republicanwizard]

The source is a tabloid paper. Ignore it.

[Lady In Blue]

I don't know but your scenario is sure tempting,and BIG TIME ! What does your gut tell you?

[WOSG]

Debka *and* mirror posting this..... hmmmm.

[Humidston]

We take him up on his offer.
Get the info.
THEN we off him.

ROFLOL!!!

[nuconvert]

Waiting for Kay report.

[Lunatic Fringe]

I don't believe this for one second... if he is in contact with US forces, why has he not yet been captured? Whether he makes contact directly or through a third party, surely our intelligence people would be able to track him back to his cave.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

This has Bravo Sierra written all over it.

[Yaelle]

Why don't we play it the way Saddam played it for his son-in-laws? "All is forgiven, my dears! Come home!"

But seriously, if this were true, methinks Bush is a little desperate to have proof of WMD about now. Would he deal???

[Ex-Dem]

Agreed. Debka seems to get their material from the CIA/Mossad discard heap.

[David1]

I don't believe this report for one second. A millisecond, maybe. But definitely not a second. ;-)

[2111USMC]

"The source is a tabloid paper."

Correction: The "source" is a tabloid paper reporting on an article from a tabloid paper.

[Aeronaut]

The source maintained that Saddam had decided to seek a deal "because he is desperate, trapped and finding fewer and fewer people willing to give him shelter," the tabloid said.

Wait him out. Then ice him

[ppaul]

Belarus

A phony country.
It was actually part of Poland before the Soviet Union was given the territory on a silver platter as part of FDR's gift for their "help" in WWII. The people there remain in grinding, miserable poverty after being under the subjection of the USSR for a half century. It is ruled by former Commmies, KGB, and mafiosi. The people still suffer. Maybe Saddam will inject some excitement.

[Migraine]

I don't believe this for one second... if he is in contact with US forces, why has he not yet been captured?

I think it's because he is in Syria, and the US has just laid down the law to the Syrians to turn him over or face wrath. That's where the WMDs are, too. Makes sense in this context, if there's any truth to it.

[AntiGuv]

[blackbart.223]

"We take him up on his offer. Get the info. THEN we off him.

Sounds good to me.

[Lady In Blue]

I wonder when the Kay Report is out? Is it due out this week? Anybody know? Thanks.