8 hours agoSaddam Hussein's capture anniversary
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)On December 13, 2003, the most wanted person in Iraq was arrested. Saddam Hussein was found by American forces, hidden in a hole not far from where this former dictator was born. The world learned about catching the most wanted person in Iraq when former American administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer [...]
The world learned about the capture of the most wanted person in Iraq, when former American administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer said at a press conference in Baghdad <x0m> and gentlemen, we caught him. ”
Arab and Iraqi journalists attending the conference cheered for several minutes. Iraqis began to celebrate on the streets of the capital. Baghdad University student Alia Hades recalls and says that she was very happy to see Saddam Hussein on television, confused and hiding in a hole. She says that this was the last right of all Iraqis to see their master punish him as he had punished the Iraqis.
About 8:30 p.m., the 66-year-old former dictator was found hiding in a hole, near a farm house 15km south of his hometown of Tikrit. His arrest was made as a result of information provided by former bodyguards and relatives of people close to the former Iraqi president. He got $750,000 in cash, two AK-47 rifles and a gun.
Yet, he surrendered without war. One of the American commanders who participated in the arrest said Saddam Hussein “was captured as a mouse.” With long hair and long gray beard, Saddam Hussein looked confused and very tired. Within hours of his capture, a video was broadcast showing a doctor examining the former dictator and checking his teeth. This was not the image that most Iraqis wanted to see.
Karim Yousef is the general manager of Radio Diylas, a station that broadcasts the views and opinions of the Iraqis. Mr. Yousef says that many Iraqis regretted seeing Saddam get caught like that. He says Saddam had power in Iraq for 35 years, and many people considered him to be brave and powerful. He says it was sad to see Saddam seem so confused with his long hair and beard.
Such images of the former dictator angered some Iraqis, who saw the video as an attempt to shame Saddam Hussein. However, University of Baghdad political science professor Abdel Jabar Abdullah says these images of Saddam have been broadcast in an effort to send a message.
They have deliberately shown this view, to send a message, not only to the Iraqi people, but to say that this will be your ruler's future if you don't co-operate with the American strategy in this region”, Abdullah said.
Pentagon officials said it was necessary to show the Iraqi people evidence that Saddam Hussein had been captured because many Iraqis feared one day the former dictator could return to power.
