Sahhaf [Former Iraqi Information Minister] Criticizes Hussein's Pre-War Planning

[AvesPKS]

Washington Post

The Washington Post /AP (9/18, A17) reports, "Iraq's former information minister said today that deposed president Saddam Hussein made tactical errors in his fight against US-led forces. Mohammed Saeed Sahhaf, who drew international attention during the war for making obviously absurd claims of Iraqi military victories, criticized Hussein's decision to divide Iraq into four military zones five days before the war." Speaking on Abu Dhabi television, "Sahhaf complained that the zones were placed under the control of civilians, including Hussein's younger son Qusay, and his trusted aides, Gen. Ali Hassan Majeed, a cousin, and Izzat Ibrahim, vice president of the Baath Party's ruling Revolutionary Command Council. He said military experts were relegated to secondary positions."

 

[Tab]

He sure did a good job I think

 

[ElFenix]

the info minister isn't dead? sweet! maybe he'll say some more ridiculous stuff

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I think he got it right for change. Saddam didn't learn jack from the Gulf War.

 

[no0b]

we should give him his own sitcom or talkshow in the US

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
I think he got it right for change. Saddam didn't learn jack from the Gulf War.

Yes and no. He learned that he cannot make war in the region. That was a lesson Bush didnt get. What Saddam failed to realize is that bluffing didnt work either. IMO, he consider the invasion as something that was going to happen regardless of what he did, so he made it more difficult for us to determine he did not have WMDs. If we were doubtful, perhaps we would be more reluctant to send troops in. That would certainly discourage other countries in the region from attacking him. His error of course was believing that Bush cared about that. No, he was going to get Saddam anyway. If Saddam had been fully compliant, I think Bush would have found another reason to invade. He certainly has found a whole host of them since the war.

 

[kage69]

Sorry Sahhaf, it wouldn't have made a difference. Iraqi's were used to their type of warfare- one where you stop fighting when it's time for dinner, line up artillery and trade shots, stupid stuff like that. We brought a lot of new things to the table - precision bombing, night strikes, commando raids, communication attacks, and we had a lot of help from behind the lines from Iraqi's trained and supplied by us and Britain. I don't care who was in charge, they were goin down.
This is just an attempt to dismiss the easy victory. Arabs don't want to be seen as pushovers, kinda like how they call the 6 Day War the "Great Setback" as they feel being defeated in 6 days is insulting.

 

[AvesPKS]

Originally posted by: no0b
we should give him his own sitcom or talkshow in the US

If he would just start his own website and start selling t-shirts and stuff, he could be making money.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
the info minister isn't dead? sweet! maybe he'll say some more ridiculous stuff

Like that Iraq has WMD's?

 

[DealMonkey]

See? Everyone's pre-war planning gets criticized. Equal time for the U.S. & Iraq. Seriously though, Sahhaf is probably just pissed that Saddam got rid of those WMDs ten years ago. Could have lobbed a bunch over at the US troops massed on the border of Kuwait. Assuming they had them. Or accurate delivery systems. Oh well...