In custody, (Tariq) Aziz ready to name names

[Rose Siding]

Former Iraqi deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz was the sophisticated, intelligent face of a thuggish regime. He was known for his elegant English suits and a fondness for Cuban cigars.

But photos, obtained exclusively by NBC News, for the first time show Aziz as he lives now, in custody. It's a strikingly different image — Aziz appears frail in orange prison garb and plastic handcuffs.

David Kay — a former U.S. adviser in Iraq — spent months questioning Aziz and others. He says Aziz quickly turned on Saddam and could testify at any trial.

"He talks about direct orders to murder, to assassinate, to kill," says Kay.

NBC News has learned U.N. investigators probing corruption in the U.N. oil for food program were scheduled to question Aziz last week. That session was delayed for security reasons.
...
"He pointed to specific individuals in Russia and France, in the United States — that received favorable treatment," says David Kay.

Now, sources tell NBC News that Aziz has indicated he's finally ready to talk about alleged bribes to U.N. officials. U.N. investigators refuse to comment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6729467/

[GetTheRightVote]

1. I wonder which USA officials he is speaking of, hopefully Bush ??

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Didn't Bush 1 send Rummy to visit?

Wasn't he the one who gave Saddam all those weapons?

[0rganism]

5. Nope. Not Bush. That's not the way he works.

Mr. Aziz knows full well how to achieve prominence through catering to the needs of the powerful. He's done it before, he'll do it again.

Mr. Aziz will say exactly what he thinks will do the most to improve his current position -- namely, that of a prisoner in American custody. He will cut a deal with the prosecution to deliver a deposition tailored quite specifically to fit their needs. From there, who knows? Sky's the limit. Hell, he could get his own talk show on Fox News, or maybe co-pilot with Zell Miller.

"there is no honor among thieves"

[Merlin]

7. That's exactly right. Excellent analysis. n/t

.

[atreides1]

22. Good Point

The one problem is that once Aziz testifies, the current administration no longer has any need for him. Sure, he'll rat out Saddam because he actually thinks that BushCo will keep it's word to him.

Once the testimony is on record, he will be turned over to the Iraqis, to do with as they please. Let's face facts once BushCo no longer has any need for someone they tend to be tossed away like a used condom.

I predict that Aziz will have an accident while in custody, after he testifies.

Anyone interested in making a wager on this?

[Minstrel Boy]

2. "U.S. officials say Aziz already has implicated the French..."

Well, naturally. :eyes:

"Once Saddam's tireless defender, Aziz is now singing a very different tune, to please his new keeper."

Watch how those who once wouldn't have taken Aziz's word for anything now take it as gospel.

[makhno]

6. Good journalism at work

A dig at the French and the Russians in the same article, while adding to the UN food-for-oil corruption strawman and reminding us all that Saddam was indeed a bad guy, going so far as to personally order the murder of individuals.

5 out of 5 in the mendacity department.

[Merlin]

8. Good observation. It's a journalistic hat trick! A fiver-fer! n/t

.

[Sara Beverley]

17. I have always thought that Aziz was too "Americanized" to support Saddam

We'll see.

[chookie]

4. The "Colin Powell" of Iraq

Aziz was never a bad guy. He was, foremost, an Iraqi patriot. Who served his country well during the regime of a brutal dictator. He tempered much of Saddam's excesses and constantly put out fires on behalf of his country and his people -- NOT an easy job to do, and survive. His crime is never having taken a stand against Saddam, for the obvious moral and nationalist reasons.

Kinda like Colin Powell.

I'm sure Aziz has all sorts of things to tell about not only Saddam, and the French -- but also about The Bush Family and Cheney, and perhaps some comments about Reagan, although I don't expect to hear it from American media.

I dunno -- I think Aziz will come clean about what he knows. It may be a deep relief to him. But as an Iraqi patriot he will also feel compelled to tell the whole truth -- and in that he will be silenced.

[coda]

11. Reminds me of another bit of truth that Aziz told.

:-)

Though it was second hand.

From the Teicher affidavit



10. The United States was anxious to have other countries supply assistance to Iraq. For example, in 1984, the Israelis concluded that Iran was more dangerous than Iraq to Israel's existence due to the growing Iranian influence and presence in Lebanon.

The Israelis approached the United States in a meeting in Jerusalem that I attended with Donald Rumsfeld. Israeli Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir asked Rumsfeld if the United States would deliver a secret offer of Israeli assistance to Iraq.

The United States agreed.

I travelled with Rumsfeld to Baghdad and was present at the meeting in which Rumsfeld told Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz about Israel's offer of assistance.

Aziz refused even to accept the Israelis' letter to Hussein offering assistance, because Aziz told us that he would be executed on the spot by Hussein if he did so.



http://www.webcom.com/~lpease/collections/hidden/teicher.htm

[Sara Beverley]

18. If he has anything to say about Cheney or Bush you will never hear it.

He should be handed over to the Iraqis for trial, not us. But that won't happen. He knows far too much.

[daleo]

9. Here are some names: Bush, Cheney, Kissenger, Rumsfeld

He probably has dozens of neo-cons on his phone speed dial if they truth were ever to come out. Doubtful though, as this will be a kangaroo court.

[fliesincircles]

10. Unlike your average American

Aziz got to chat by the fire with our President

http://tinypic.com/xdt1x

[MaineDem]

12. I thought he was dead

:eyes:

Weren't there rumors a while ago that he died in custody?

Edited for grammar.

[Rose Siding]

14. Not quite; he's just now "ready" to talk or...

at least ready to say whatever his captors want him to say.

But information collected by Alberto Gonsales-approved methods is notoriously unreliable.

[whosinpower]

15. That is also what I recall

It was never confirmed, nor denied as far as I can recall - but I do remember reading several articles about him dying mysteriously.

[quaoar]

13. What a laugh

Aziz is finally ready to talk? Hell, he's been singing like a canary.

Who needs Aziz? Saddam already has a date with the firing squad and nobody outside of Washington will give any credibility to anything Aziz has to say about the U.N. while he is in Bush Administration custody.

[NNN0LHI]

16. Did they take the dirty panties off his head for these new photos? n/t

[quaoar]

19. Yes, but...

I think they forgot to remove the wires.

[susu369]

20. Written by Lisa Myers - puhleeze

Ah, that familiar smell of propaganda.

Add this gem:

"Former Secretary of State James Baker says Aziz has an incentive to be helpful to the U.S."

[Name removed]

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