Now on Saddam’s capture and the Arab press. Lebanese member of Saddam’s Regional Command of the Ba`th Party, `Abdul-Majid Ar-Rafi`i, adds his voice to the theories of Saddam’s capture. Ar-Rafi`i is a long-time ally of Saddam, and Saddam has rewarded him handsomely. So he gave a speech yesterday, in which he described Saddam as “an authentic Arab leader.” He also stated, nay asserted, that it is certain that Saddam “was fully sedated,” and that there was so many gases in the area that the cattle was sedated (he said asleep) for more than a day. And Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat, a pro-Saudi and pro-US daily published in London, did its own investigation. You see: `Abdul-Bari `Atwan the editor of the London daily Al-Quds Al-`Arabi, and who is simultaneously sympathetic to Saddam and Bin Laden (he insists on calling him Shaykh Usamah Bin Laden), expressed his doubts over US accounts of the capture, and he made a reference to a palm tree in the picture of the hideout house because, he observed, a palm tree was bearing yellow palms. So he was implying that the picture was taken much earlier in the year. So Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat sent a team to the area and asked the local farmer and was told that it is not unusual to have the tree bearing yellow palms at this time of year because the trees were not pollinated. Finally, the pro-Saudi, pro-American daily, Al-Hayat, and it is also London-based, also named yet another person who was responsible for surrendering Saddam to the Americans. He was identified as a “Kh. N.”, and is a close relative of Saddam. Contradicting the US military, Al-Hayat is reporting that the man received the $25 million and may have been transferred outside of Iraq. And LBC-TV has just reported yet another story: that the person who turned Saddam in is from the Jabburi family. That his daughter was raped by the thuggish `Udayy Husayn, and he wanted revenge. The story rejects the US military account of "intelligence work" and maintains that the person turned Saddam in to a Kurdish party, which in turn turned him to the Americans. This may be more plausible an account given that the first news of Saddam's capture was announced by Kurdish leader Jalal Talbani.