Posted on 07/02/2004 5:00:09 AM PDT by MadIvan
Saddam Hussein believed that Iraq would never be invaded because the US would get bogged down in "interminable debate at the UN", his interrogators believe.
The ousted dictator thought that the uncertainty about his weapons arsenal would prevent his neighbours from invading, while the US would be stuck in negotiations about launching an attack an intelligence official claimed.
Although the interrogations of Saddam have yielded little about whether he recently possessed weapons of mass destruction, they have provided a fascinating insight into aspects of his life and leadership.
During interrogation sessions, Saddam suggested that he ordered the 1990 invasion of Kuwait to keep his army busy.
He appeared to fear giving officers too much time without being occupied by combat.
An intelligence official also told the newspaper that interrogators believe Saddam was shocked when the coalition attacked and then invaded Iraq in March last year.
The officials said Saddam believed that ambiguity about his weapons programmes "would keep the neighbours at bay, while the US would be hung up in interminable debate at the UN".
During one session he appeared to boast that he had infiltrated the Iraqi National Congress, the exile organisation which pressed for the invasion of Iraq.
While there were no physical methods of coercion used, psychological tactics were employed.
Sometimes, the interrogator would try to catch Saddam out by questioning him for hours, and then leaving him alone for a period of time before returning to ask just one more question.
In one session Saddam told how his son Uday had beaten to death someone who had annoyed him by playing music too loudly.
Saddam said he had Uday imprisoned in solitary confinement as punishment.
It has been widely reported that Uday bludgeoned to death his father's valet and food taster in 1988, apparently because he had introduced Saddam to the woman who became his mistress.
Despite the insights, Saddam gave little away during interrogation which would incriminate him in his trial for crimes against humanity, including genocide.
"We got very little, I would say almost nothing," said an official who served with the occupation authority.
Saddam was initially in the hands of the CIA but when it became clear he would not co-operate with them, the FBI took a greater role in questioning him, the New York Times reported.
For much of his detention Saddam's guards were reservists from Puerto Rico, who were ordered to speak only Spanish in his presence.
Just when I was thinking I better do a little studying about GROM - here comes a Freeper with a reference. What a terrific forum this is!
http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/Poland/Unit_Profile.htm
And remember, the Libyian WMD shop was part of the four-party plan to build an "Arab nuke" -- North Korea (nuclear material), Pakistan (scientists), Iraq (funding), and Libya (facilities). With Baghdad fallen and Islamabad playing nice with the Americans (and starting to go after their rogue scientists), Qaddafi rightly decided to fold up shop before it was folded up for him.
Churchill himself switched to the Labour party for a few years in the Twenties, before coming back to the Tories. Good people can be found on both sides of the aisle. Dare I say it, there are even some good patriotic Democrats in this country, though their numbers dwindle...
By the way, MadIvan, good to see you back.
-ccm
He switched to the Liberals, and it was in 1904. He returned to the Tories in 1922.
Winston never would join Labour. Nor would I.
Regards, Ivan
Which is precisely why I looked for somebody having posted that pic before doing so myself.... ;-)
Thank maica. This is only 10 per cent of story of Grom. One day when war is over I would love to share more about Grom then it is publish. Since more then 70 per cent of their operation is still secret not much can be tell. But, Grom is behind America ally and it will be there as long as America need it and Irak need it.
I seem to remember that during the initial invasion, the armed forces had given orders that US flags weren't be to flown from tanks or armored vehicles, for PR this-is-not-a-conquest purposes.
On Fox News I saw one gleeful tank crew proudly flying the Puerto Rican flag instead.
After reading about the glorious deeds of the Grom commandoes during the war, I kept meaning to but never got around to writing a letter of thanks to the Polish embassy. I think I'll dig out that address and do it now. God bless our brave Polish allies, who still remember what it means to defend civilization.
And remember that "at Pearl Harbor, Drake was too clever for the German fleet", as was stated by professor Gumby.
I dunno. He sure had the UN pegged. And he perceived the psychological dimension about WMQ ambiguity a lot more clearly than most American jounalists even today who have evidence to the contrary.
Very nice of you. We are friends and true friends help in need and in problems. Thank you America for freedom.
Saddam didn't get to be President of Iraq by his good looks. He's as tough a thug as you're going to find, and will be totally unfazed by 'psychological tactics' and the kid glove treatment. Saddam's forgotton more about torture and interrogation than his captors ever knew. I'm sure he's had his interrogators pegged solid within the first 24 hours of captivity.
The 'comfy chair' approach is basically hoping that, out of boredom, Saddam will just start talking. We aren't even close to approaching 'coercion'. Now, given that there's enough physical evidence, witnesses, and what have you, to ensure that Saddam gets to go bungee jumping with a ten foot rope.
We'll never find his WMDs, or get him to divulge anything he wants to keep secret, by giving him a stern lecture by day, and a mint on his pillow by night. It just won't break him, ever. If we're okay with that, then give them man his lawyer, and lets start the trial.
Oh, my in-laws have Puerto Rican flags flyin' six ways from Sunday.
They take their heritage seriously, they do!
He really knows how to 'dish it out.' (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)
Great book and plenty of eye opening revelations contained therein. I wonder if we're still helping the frogs modernize their nuke force. I sincerely hope not.
Seems he knows the UN very well.
'OOOOOOOoooohhhhhhhhh, someone's gonna get it......not the "one more question" torture!'
Also known as the "Columbo method."
George W Bush isn't to be messed with....Saddam should have paid attention to what happened to the Taliban.
When this President says it.....COUNT ON IT.
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