Friday, December 19, 2003

Iraqi theories abound about Saddam's capture. I see less of a mystery. Saddam was always obsessed about HIS safely, HIS life, and HIS survival. He was only reckless with OTHER people's lives. A Jordanian newspaper Al-`Arab Al-Yawm identifies Saddam's security agent (who was also his relative) who surrendered him to the Americans. According to the paper, this Muhammad Ibrahim `Umar Al-Musallit, approached the Americans through a relative, and they made a plan that required the sedation of Saddam, before the arrival of the Americans. But the account does not seem credible because the paper also adds that Musallit may have been killed by his clan for his role in the capture of Saddam. It is unlikely that the Americans would let this valuable source go after his role. And the paper also names Khalid Al-Hamad of Tikrit as a possible source, which casts more doubt over their account. Jordanian press (like the Kuwaiti press in the 1980s) is notoriously and vulgarly pro-Saddam, and they may be scrambling to explain Saddam's surrender.