MSNBC reporting Saddam is negotiating for safe passage

[leQ]

MSNBC (on air) reporting the Daily Mirror has a scoop that Saddam has been negotiating for safe passage into Belarus for the last 9 days. Daily Mirror online has nothing. Waiting for links on both sites.

[whirlygigspin]

1. LePsyOps

Clark for resident.

[ropi]

4. from buzzflash

DESPERATE SADDAM OFFERS AMERICANS DEAL

Sep 21 2003




From Paul Martin In Baghdad


SADDAM Hussein has been in secret negotiations with US forces in Iraq for the past nine days, we can reveal.

The Iraqi dictator is demanding safe passage to the former Soviet republic of Belarus. In exchange, he has vowed to provide information on weapons of mass destruction and disclose bank accounts where he siphoned off tens of millions of dollars in plundered cash.

President Bush is being kept abreast of the extraordinary talks by his National Security advisor Condoleezza Rice. She is co-ordinating negotiations in Baghdad which are led by Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of American forces in Iraq.

The United States has vowed never to negotiate with Saddam and want to take him dead or alive, but the White House hopes the clandestine talks will allow them to pinpoint the tyrant's exact location.

<more>

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/news/content_objectid=13431908_method=full_siteid=106694_headline=-DESPERATE-SADDAM-OFFERS-AMERICANS-DEAL-name_page.html

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. We're being double-crossed.

Bush is actually going to use Sadaam to uncover WMD to save his re-election, and in return, he's going to let Sadaam go free. With this negotiation he saves his veracity and his relationship with Saudi Arabia. And the American people lose. But will they fall for it? Buht uf coarse.

[NashVegas]

16. No He's Not

After all the indemnification of Saddam, to let him go free into exile would be political suicide. I could see them letting him be tried in Hague at the mildest.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Oh, go away.

You're ruining a perfectly good tinfoil moment.

:)

[bushisanidiot]

19. I agree, but They Won't Let Saddam Go

Rove will plan it all out so Saddam is captured by the end of the year, and bin Laden is 'captured' next summer. I think next summer is when we'll magically 'find' the WMD.

and we'll be accused of anti-americanism for pointing out how convenient it all is for AWOL and his re-election attempt.

[VRSCAman]

20. How do the American people loss by this?

Anything to get this shit over seems good to me? Am I missing something?

[newyawker99]

22. Hi VRSCAman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Jacobin]

35. That presumes that "getting Saddam" will stop the guerilla war in Iraq

A presumption which I think is missplaced.

[oldcoot]

37. One potential problem

Some have speculated that the Iraqis will never feel fully free until Saddam is brought to justice. If Saddam escapes, the Iraqis will always be looking over their shoulders and worrying about him possibly returning.

I also wonder how Bush's conservative supporters will respond. Conservative politicians and columnists spent months before the war comparing Saddam to Hitler. They argued that not invading Iraq was the same as appeasement. Assuming they actually believe their own rhetoric, they would have to condemn Bush for letting Hitler version 2.0 go.

I also favoring getting out of this mess as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I am afraid that Bush and company are not going to be willing to give Iraq (all that wonderful oil) back to the Iraqi people.

[damnraddem]

21. Oh, well, if Dubya has promised to never negotiate with Saddam ...

look for a deal to be announced tomorrow.

[Stanchetalarooni]

10. I feel dirty and tainted saying it for obvious reason but say it I must.

Ditto.
Excuse me while I go wash. Anybody got any suggestions on how to get this flush of Rush out of my consciousness?

[qanda]

2. Debka

This story was reported by Debka last week. Someone posted it in LBN, but I don't know where it went from there.

[Nottingham]

26. I did and People Slammed me because it was Debka!

But Obviously other News agencies are getting on the bandwagon here

Its the conflict in stories get ready folks WMD proof is on its way!

:bounce:

[Newsjock]

3. Story came out yesterday and was denied

http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=125702

U.S. Military Denies Report of Saddam Exile Offer

TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Sunday denied a British media report that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had offered money and information on weapons of mass destruction in return for safe passage to the ex-Soviet republic of Belarus.

The Sunday Mirror newspaper said an aide of the fugitive (news - Y! TV) ex-president had approached U.S. forces in Tikrit and led them to a house in the suburbs. There, they were given a letter, purportedly handwritten by Saddam, proposing talks.

It said negotiations had been going on for nine days covering weaponry and bank accounts containing tens of millions of dollars.

Lt. Col. William MacDonald, spokesman for the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division which controls Tikrit north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, said the story was wrong.

more:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20030921/ts_nm/iraq_saddam_dc

[Nottingham]

25. Yes that was a Lt Colnel who denied it! Not Sanchez & Rice

I think there is something to this! Bush would sell his soul for WMD right Now even to SADDAM! :bounce:

[Devils Advocate NZ]

5. Here is why I think the story is bullshit.

Firstly, let's assume that Hussein didn't do a deal before the war was even over (which I believe is a distinct possibility).

The question is, how are those "foreign terrorists" getting into Iraq, and why can't Hussein just get out the same way they get in? Surely such "terrorists" would be willing to give him a hand for a few million dollars, and the locations of WMD?

Why do a deal with the US when the US is not exactly trustworthy in matters such as this - take for example the decision to withhold payment to the informer who told them where Uday and Qusay are...

Nope, if Hussein is still in Iraq, it is because he wants to STAY in Iraq.

[FlashHarry]

7. Not to mention, the Mirror is a tabloid.

[trapper914]

27. MSNBC should be embarrassed.

Even airing this without having a second, more reliable source to back it up is completely irresponsible. A tabloid?

Glad to see the Mirror is taking time out of its hard hitting David Beckham/Posh Spice reporting to dig up the biggest international news story of the fall!

[Nottingham]

29. So MSNBC & other News are letting the world know

based on Tabloid News

Wake up People be ready to see Proof of WMD and I'm thinking they will be in Syria! Its coming!

:bounce: the Bush people just don't want the world to know they negotiated with Saddam to find the proof!

It is kinda Hillarious when ya think about it!

[Paschall]

8. Saddam trust the Great Satan? Nah!

<snip> The United States has vowed never to negotiate with Saddam and want to take him dead or alive, but the White House hopes the clandestine talks will allow them to pinpoint the tyrant's exact location. </snip>

So the White House admits this is just a ploy to nab him? I don't buy it.

[Terran]

13. "Desperate Saddam"?

I doubt it. He may have lost his government, but he's got the US in an unwinnable situation now. He's got almost the whole country to hide out in and probably still has enormous resources--why would he be "desperate"? The story is bull.

[Matilda]

14. I didn't know that the informer who led them to Uday and Qusay wasn't paid

What was the excuse?

[karlschneider]

18. "security concerns" is what I heard a few days ago...

:eyes:

[Nottingham]

36. Devil not that you could be wrong but what if it wasn't Bull

think about it play Devil's Advocate here what if MSNBC Mirror Australian Newspapers and Debka are right???

You trust our Military when they deny this! Why Deny it? and Why a Lt Colonel denying it! Rummsfeld should be on going NO WAY!

:bounce:

[Devils Advocate NZ]

38. I believe it is more likely that this is information that somehow leaked..

of a deal made before the war was "over".

Remember how the Republican Guard, Special Republican Guard and Saddam Fedayeen suddenly folded, even though they were seemingly successfully carrying out their war plans?

Remember how the US Military admitted they had made deals with the commanders of those formations to get them to abandon their positions?

Remember how shortly later, hundreds of millions of dollars of bank notes were "found"? hidden in Baghdad?

Now here is an interesting piece of information for you: The commanders of those three formations were Uday and Qusay Hussein, who of course answered to Saddam.

Also remember the footage of all those undamaged tanks and armoured personnel carriers that surrounded Baghdad and that had survived the most devestating bombing campaign ever seen.

It seems far more likely to me that the Husseins made a deal to walk away, possibly with help from the US, in order to prevent US forces becoming bogged down on the outskirts of Baghdad (which was the Iraqi war plan as stated before the war, and shown by the well prepared positions that were abandoned). There were even rumours of a flight of a large transport plane from Baghdad airport during the time when it was under seige by US forces.

The money that was "found" was all cash, so why would the Hussein's leave it behind? I mean they managed to get out of Baghdad, why not take the money with them, after all, they would have seemingly needed it?

Nope, in my books the deal was made in April, and this story, if it has any basis in fact, is actually information pertaining to THAT deal, that leaked out recently.

[Booberdawg]

6. I've had MSNBC on for the last hour and not heard a word about it

I think the story is crap.

[lanlady]

9. this story was debunked days ago

First appeared in Debka, picked up by the tabloid Daily Mirror, denied by US military. MSNBC has been reduced to circulating stupid rumors.

[Nottingham]

32. So You Believe the US Military! You guys forget the Lynch story

This storry isn't debunked its taking on wings people! :bounce:

[JPace]

12. Just a guess but....

I think Saddam would want revenge more than
safety. He would more likely be planning how
to hurt the occupiers than planning an escape.
Leaving would look cowardly and he always
worked at keeping that puffed up strong image
even in the face of real dangers.

[havocmom]

15. Agree. This story sounds more like what the Chimpster and Company

would be doing, were they the hunted.

It just seems like more of their projection personality disorder at work. They think everyone else is as crass, heartless, clueless, cowardly, and crooked as they are.

[Nottingham]

30. I think Saddam wants Safety and He maybe Scared and Really

ready to negotiate!

You guys don't know what the situation is in Iraq!

Saddam might be ready to negotiate a deal!

He is Heartless and ready to save his skin!

:bounce:

[Fridays Child]

23. Link to Mirror article

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/news/content_objectid=13431908_method=full_siteid=106694_headline=-DESPERATE%2DSADDAM%2DOFFERS%2DAMERICANS%2DDEAL-name_page.html

[Nottingham]

24. Well MSNBC is a Bit Late with the INFO! I got attacked Yesterday

for putting this thread up


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=125069&mesg_id=125069

This is a very interesting story which has conficting statements coming out! America News is always the LAST TO KNOW!

:bounce:

Saddam in Talks with US?


Saddam in Talks with US? Saddam Hussein reported in secret negotiation with US forces for safe passage to former Soviet Belarus republic in exchange for information of WMD and his bank accounts. Report carried in London Sunday Mirror adds Bush adviser Rice is coordinating talks led by US Gen. Rick Sanchez. No comment from US sources.

http://www.debka.com/


is this to cover Bush's BUTT!

Bush must be Desperate! and notice he isn't giving up the OIL WELLS

LETS MAKE A DEAL...BUSH!

[oldcoot]

31. You were right

and American news is always the last to know. I have pretty much lost all respect for our press.

[Nottingham]

34. I agree OldCoot! Our Press is scrambling right Now

This story is spreading all over Asia Networks and Europe but alas American Networks have just put a wee bit of the story out there!

America is NOT GETTING NEWS! .........We are being SHUT OUT
another example here :bounce:

[sleipnir]

28. HE ALREADY GOT AWAY!

Saddam is already in Russia. He left with the Russian Embassy in a ploy devised by the Americans so that we could easily invade Baghdad. Seriously, look at the time line. The Embassy is forced to leave under dubious cicumstances, leaking intelligence, allowing top Iraqi's safe hiding, etc.. Then the issue of taking Baghdad without a fight comes up in the best interest of the US. They offer him passage to Russia, an old ally and business friend of Saddam. In return, we got Baghdad without a fight and Saddam gets a nice new home without fear of prosecution or attack. Oddly, right after the Russian embassy left, Baghdad "fell" and was also the last confirmed public appearance of Saddam. Say what you will about conspiracy theories, but Saddam is in Russia.

[Nevernose]

33. What Saddam is REALLY doing in Belarus:

Beautiful Belarus

[zekeson]

39. If the Daily Mirror would check the charges on that collect call

they got from Saddam to give 'em that info they would find that it came from the pig farm. I am certain that he and Bin Laden are holed up at Crawford or where ever the hell Dickless CHeney spends his hours hanging upside down or sleeping in his coffin. Little Georgie will spring those bastards right as it is apparent that his royal goose is cooked. Time is getting close, this is the pre-empt to an announcement that Saddam has been found - next week or two. Even BushCo isn't so incompetent that they lost both Osama and Saddam - they know precisely where each is and are saving them as insurance.