Is Saddam Hussein Alive or Dead?

Post-9/11 Era Forum

After the bombing of military installations in Baghdad - many people are wondering: Is Saddam Alive or Dead?
Voice your opinion
Personally, I'm not sure - but I could see him Fleeing to recollect himself.

Saddam likes the TV, I think if he were alive we would have seen more of him.

He likes to show his face too

Well he has several doubles as well.

It's certainly suspicious that he hasn't appeared on TV yet, but I doubt that he was hit.

one never knows but his body should be seen before they say "he's a gonner."

An eyewitness said that he saw Saddam being brought out of the building on a stretcher and he was on o2.

If he's dead, they are keeping it from his own troops. They would not continue fighting, we could move into Baghdad and set the next phase in motion.

If he's hurt, he doesn't want us to see how bad.

If he's alive and unhurt, not letting us know is pretty darn smart. Our expectations might be affected, and he could take advantage.

Saddam Praises Commander Who Surrendered Early in War - Vague speech on TV adds to speculation about state of his health

In an appearance that will only stir the debate over his fate, Saddam Hussein turned up on Iraq’s state-run television Monday to urge Iraqis to “kill your enemy precisely and accurately.” But he was vague in describing the U.S.-led military campaign aimed at toppling him from power and said nothing that would establish the precise time the tape was made.
WEARING A MILITARY uniform but without the glasses worn in his last apparent appearance on television on Friday, Saddam seemed more robust and rested as he exhorted Iraqi citizens and soldiers to fight the allied invaders.
“You are ordered by Allah ... hit them above the necks and cut (off) all the heads,” he said, according to an MSNBC TV translator.
Taunting the allies, he asked: “Have you found what the devil that besets your soul promised you in Iraq?”
But Saddam discussed the war mainly in general terms during his 20-plus minute address, renewing debate about his health that came after his first televised speech last week.
He referred to successes in Umm Qasr, the southern port where sporadic fighting was reported Sunday.
He also said “victory is very near” in Basra, southern Iraq, which U.S. and British tank units were still trying to secure. And he called on defenders of Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul to hold firm, saying “despicable enemies would be defeated.”
He also referred to the ground invasion.
“Those who are believers will be victorious,” he said. “In these decisive days, the enemy tried not using missiles and fighter jets as they did before. This time, they sent their infantry troops. This time, they have come to invade and occupy your land.”
But he made no mention of the capture of American POWs on Sunday near Nasiriyah, which was broadcast by the state-run television.

CANNED SADDAM?
And when he cited several units and commanders, saluting them “for their heroic feats in the battlefield,” he named the commander of the 11th Iraqi Brigade in Basra, who surrendered along with many of his troops in the early hours of the war. That prompted officials at the allied Central Command in Qatar to conclude that the tape was likely recorded before the beginning of the hostilities.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said nothing in Saddam’s Monday speech proved it had been made since the beginning of the war.
“I think there are some doubts about whether that tape is canned or was fresh based on recent events,” Fleischer said. “It would not be a surprise if Saddam Hussein had some time ago put in the can numerous statements designed to be released later.”
U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Saddam would have to make a specific reference to a recent event to prove he’s alive.
Officials say it is highly unlikely Saddam would use a double to give a speech; the Iraqis know such a ruse would probably be detected. Look-alikes, officials said, are more useful in motorcades and similar functions that don’t require public speaking.
British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon came to a similar conclusion in a briefing on Monday.
“As far as the pictures this morning are concerned, obviously analysis continues. But what I can say straight away is that those pictures were not live,” he told a London news conference.
Hoon added that Saddam’s health made no difference to the military campaign.

QUESTIONS OVER SADDAM’S HEALTH
The Iraqi leader’s health and whereabouts have been the subject of much conjecture since the U.S. military launched a surprise air strike on a private home on the outskirts of Baghdad early Thursday.
Some U.S. officials initially expressed optimism that Saddam had been killed in the attack, which used so-called “bunker buster” bombs to penetrate a special reinforced bunker beneath the home where the Iraqi leader was believed to be sleeping with other members of the regime’s leadership, possibly including his sons, Odai and Qusai.
The appearance of a videotape of Saddam broadcast the day after the attack did little to quell the speculation, with U.S. intelligence officials questioning whether the tape was a “canned” appearance recorded before the attack, or even whether the speaker was Saddam or a “double”?
After it was determined that the voice on the tape belonged to Saddam, most U.S. officials indicated that he had been injured in the attack, though to what degree no one could say.
Iraqi state television reported Saturday that Saddam had praised the performance of Iraqi soldiers in the face of invading forces.
“The president expressed his satisfaction at the performance of the Iraqi army and members of the Baath Party and Iraqi tribes,” the television said.
It showed pictures of Saddam in two separate meetings — one with his powerful younger son, Qusai; Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz; and Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, and another meeting with Qusai and Defense Minister General Sultan Hashim Ahmed.
The announcer said the meetings took place on Saturday, but that could not be confirmed.

Source: MSNBC/AP

Saddam spent millions for bunkers.


He made bunkers only for himself and then bunkers for war combats, like command posts etc.

These bunkers were made by German and Ex Yugoslav generals and their companies.

These bunkers can stand an atomic explosion od 20 kilotons.


And if you want to hit one of the bunkers, the bomb has to go in 90 degree angle, because bunkers outside underneath the ground is round, the bomb would just bounce, it would not make direct impact.


Now, do you think he was waiting for bombs? Do you think he was surprised by an attack. I personally do not.


I think he is alive and in good condition. It will take soldiers that will go to Iraq to kill him or improson him, not any kind of other weapon, not even an atomic bomb.

We also have to say that he has food for 6 months in these bunkers

Again American propaganda is getting into you. Same like propaganda that Osama Bin laden was hit and killed by an American bomb.

I personally believe that Americans will loose this war.
If they could not get Osama Bin Laden, how the heck they gonna get Saddam. It has been shown in previous wars that US soldiers are not good in combat fighting when it comes to infantry.

Take war in Korea and especially Vietnam.

I pray for poor soldiers that are going to be killed and ofcourse civilians. One of those people could be next Einstein.

No, they are made to withstand the ATOMIC BOMB.

So he can LIVE THERE for 6 months, no problem.

You can bomb him with 20 atomic bombs.

And that why I believe we will never use one.

I think he's alive but I don't think he's in Bagdad -

US Intelligence reported today that they believe Saddam is very alive and issuing orders to his troops.

Yes and they think that it was his son Qusay that was brought out on a stretcher after the bombinb.

This thread is a joke--so much tittle-tattle conjecture. Do you guys have your knitting with you? One or two of you could end up becoming president of the USofA. Hey! Wait a minute--let's watch the grass grow!

Wow - that was so funny

Right - you have been warned about insults and asked to end it.
STOP with the insults

Yoki - Joki or whatever you go by.........should us Americans be shaking in our boots because we're 'American ignorant' I'll be worried all weekend because Joki has warned me....Saddam will get us no matter what we do.

I am just mad at your president, and ofcourse you people that support that texas cowboy. ANd remember, no world power lasted forever.

Like i said, learn the history. And please come to the ground, you aint ****. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yoki - Joki

Explain that last line to me Joki-Yoki. It might help me understand your apparent lack of active brain cells if you had the balls to put your location on your profile.

We may have seen a clue as to the fate of Saddam Hussein in the past day or two. I'm sure that everyone remembers that Saddam always has a bodyguard who stands behind him when he is speaking especially in the most recent images prior to the war.

The first image of Saddam after the bombing did not have that guard standing behind him and the image of he and his ministers sitting around the table did not have that guard standing behind him. Which leads us to think the those images were made long in the past.

Now in the latest image where the Vice President is pictured with the Minister of Defence we see Saddams bodyguard standing behind them.

WHY?

Because I believe the Saddam is either dead or severely incapacitated. My guess is that he is dead and now that bodyguard has sworn his allegiance to the Vice President.

What does it matter if he's toast or not.
If Saddam is toast (and I hope he is)...... another just like him or one of his annointed "royal" sons or "republican guard officers" will rise and attempt to continue.

Just like cancer......you better cut enough around the original site to be sure you've got it all!

Well maybe, we'll see.

Know what i think people?
Sadam is far from dead. He's not that stupid. Bush shoul've planed his attack better, and i think that Bush and the rest of the world will be surprised of the Iraqi power. They already are-they thought this would take a week or so.
I think that Iraq has much to show yet

Translation via Altavista
That is not is correct yoyola, these people have desire for peace, only the strength. They do not understand the war, because they are like the children.

Even though I'm German-American I don't even know anyone who speaks German I have to rely on AltaVista Translator. I guess it doesn't translate all that well.

Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has called for a jihad, or holy war, against Coalition forces in Iraq.

In a statement read out on TV by Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, he branded American and British forces "evil aggressors".


He said their invasion was"an aggression on the religion, the wealth, the honor and the soul and an aggression on the land of Islam.

"Jihad is a duty in confronting them. Those who are martyred will be rewarded in heaven. Seize the opportunity, my brothers."

"Hit them, fight them...fight them everywhere," he added. "Don't give them a chance to catch their breath."

The statement was issued as US forces were reported within 50 miles of Baghdad.

At the same time B-52 bombers were pounding Republican Guard positions north of Karbala.

The Iraqi leader has delivered two televised addresses since the war began on March 20, and was recently shown with his two sons, Uday and Qusay.

It was not clear why he did not deliver the latest address in person, as expected.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described Saddam's non-appearance as "interesting".

Source: Sky News

More....

Pentagon Keeps Asking, 'Where's Saddam?'

Pentagon officials insist they don't know whether Saddam Hussein has survived two weeks of bombing. In case he's alive, however, they appear to be trying to bait him into showing himself.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld started the drumbeat Sunday, saying there were unconfirmed reports that members of Saddam's family - including his first wife, the mother of his two sons - had begun to flee.

"Where is Saddam Hussein? Where is Qusai? Where is Odai - his sons? They're not talking." Rumsfeld said on "Fox News Sunday."

Then, taking a page Monday from the war in Afghanistan, his spokeswoman, Victoria Clarke, revived a statement Rumsfeld used last year on the whereabouts of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who to this day eludes American forces.

"Since the coalition bombed Saddam's headquarters at the very beginning of the war, the world has neither seen his hide nor hair, only tapes," she said in her opening statement at the daily Pentagon news conference.

On Wednesday, Rumsfeld questioned aloud, in a press conference that would be broadcast to Iraqis, why Saddam had not made a recent television appearance.

"The fact that Saddam Hussein did not show up for his televised speech today is interesting," he said, referring to Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf's reading a statement in Saddam's name. The government had told television networks to be ready for a statement from Saddam.

It was unclear why al-Sahhaf delivered the address for Saddam, who has been seen on tape delivering two addresses since the war began March 20 with the bombing of the Baghdad complex.

Analysts said the repeated remarks on Saddam may also be designed to sew seeds of doubt among Iraqis and thus weaken the regime and hasten its collapse. Three Pentagon officials said privately they believe the longer Saddam remains out of the public view, the more suspicious Iraqis will become about his circumstances.

The White House also on Tuesday pointedly raised fresh doubts about Saddam's status.

"The ways that you would know (if he's alive) is if you would see him in a live broadcast," said Ari Fleischer, spokesman for President Bush. "If he was live or he showed something contemporaneous, he would speak about an event that just took place that day or the night before, then you might have information that he is alive.

"We have not seen that. ... The proof that he would be dead would be if you saw a body."

As the White House and Pentagon baited Saddam, senior U.S. officials familiar with the latest intelligence said there remains no evidence that would indicate either way: that he is dead, or he is alive.

Source: AP

It used to be called "Where's Waldo"

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Diogenes
[B]

Thank you for this important correction.
Much more aprehensioning if they are like little children. As far as i know little children don´t play with bombs.

Question:
In this forum i see the voting FOR or AGAINST the iraq war (this type of voting i can accept). Its 49% to 45% to 6%, so nearly 50/50. In germany we hear that nearly 75% of the americans ar FOR this war. What do you think is more true?