Even as U.S. Invaded, Hussein Saw Iraqi Unrest as Top Threat

[ECH1969]

As American warplanes streaked overhead two weeks after the invasion began, Lt. Gen. Raad Majid al-Hamdani drove to Baghdad for a crucial meeting with Iraqi leaders. He pleaded for reinforcements to stiffen the capital's defenses and permission to blow up the Euphrates River bridge south of the city to block the American advance.

But Saddam Hussein and his small circle of aides had their own ideas of how to fight the war. Convinced that the main danger to his government came from within, Mr. Hussein had sought to keep Iraq's bridges intact so he could rush troops south if the Shiites got out of line.

Ever vigilant about coups and fearful of revolt, Mr. Hussein was deeply distrustful of his own commanders and soldiers, the documents show. He made crucial decisions himself, relied on his sons for military counsel and imposed security measures that had the effect of hobbling his forces. He did this in several ways:

The Iraqi dictator was so secretive and kept information so compartmentalized that his top military leaders were stunned when he told them three months before the war that he had no weapons of mass destruction, and they were demoralized because they had counted on hidden stocks of poison gas or germ weapons for the nation's defense.

http://nytimes.com/2006/03/12/international/middleeast/12saddam.html?ei=5094&en=92e0be161a491636&hp=&ex=1142139600&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

[pretzel4gore]

1. saddam probably thought he was safe being a cia asset

like noriega, he trusted punks...,.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[daleo]

3. More likely, Saddam decided guerrilla war was the best option

And that defending Baghdad with large conventional forces would get the city destroyed and most of his troops killed.

"...he told them three months before the war that he had no weapons of mass destruction..."

Bush had to know this too, given the reach of U.S. intelligence. More indirect evidence of Bush's lies.

[jaysunb]

4. I'm not so sure about this.

"...he told them three months before the war that he had no weapons of mass destruction..."


I can't help but wonder if this may have been " inserted " to reinforce the " everybody thought he had them" lie.

Boy....this tinfoil hat's getting lots of work these days. :evilgrin:

on edit
BTW, I think your theory is dead on.

[bemildred]

5. This sure sounds like bullshit.

And you have to wonder why all of a sudden we have to be told about the inner doings of Saddam's mind now? Has he got a movie out and he's doing interviews?

[stillcool]

6. makes you wonder how long....

before the NYTimes has to offer up another mea culpa, for reporting bullshit.

[physioex]

7. This is Dudu.....

Everyone including Shrubco knew he had no WMD.....