'Saddam never used doubles'

[dArKeR]

Oslo - Contrary to widespread belief, Saddam Hussein did not use look-alikes to fool his enemies, the former Iraqi dictator's physician claimed on Wednesday.

Ala Bashir, author of a book published in Norway and including titbits about his most famous patient, whom he describes as "gentle", said he would have known if Saddam had employed doubles.

"No one has ever approached me to do surgery for anyone to help to make a double for Saddam Hussein. I definitely would have been an obvious choice. I have not seen anyone who had such an operation" Bashir said.

Western governments and media have repeatedly asserted that Saddam often used look-alikes, most recently during a crowd-hugging public appearance last year in Baghdad, as American troops were closing in on the capital.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,6119,2-10-1460_1526030,00.html

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Really could be either way...

It's possible that it was part of the Pentagon propaganda all along, or the Iraqi doctor could be lying.

I tend to believe the Iraqi doctor in this case, because Saddam is already in custody and he would have little reason to lie at this point.

[dArKeR]

5. I doubt that any former Bathe official is lying at this time. They'd have

too much to lose if caught lying. Just too much to lose. You've got to think about it clearly. There's no one to protect them anymore.

I would say they would just agree with whatever the Bush Adm. says. Or if the went against what the Bush Adm. says it would be the truth.

[daleo]

2. As time goes on, more western claims about Saddam seem over the top

This one just gets added to the list. It is instructive, as it reveals how much casual lying goes on when it comes to international propaganda.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. Yes, for some reason people tend just believe whatever they are told.

Especially if it is repeated a lot.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. The next thing they will be saying is that Saddam

wasn't hiding WMD. Who are you supposed to believe anymore?

[MrSlayer]

6. C'mon, we've all seen the many different Saddams.

Is Baghdad Bob his doctor too?

[truthisfreedom]

7. the administration did everything they could to demonize saddam even more

than the history that preceded him. it's a big "who cares" at this point.

[Nostradammit]

8. Reminds me of a joke -

Saddam's chief physician called a meeting of all the Saddam look-alikes.

"Men, I've got some good news and I've got some bad news.

The good news is Saddam is still alive after the airstrike.


The bad news is he lost an arm."


Ba-da-bump, ching!

[oblivious]

9. How about the wood chipper story?

I heard that again this week in a BBC interview. Something about Saddam feeding his enemies into a wood chipper. Any truth to that one?

[DrWeird]

10. Debunked awhile ago.

nt

[yorgatron]

11. why are they saying this now?

could it be they don't HAVE saddam? maybe the guy they have is one of the doubles,and THAT"S why they haven't gotten any useful information out of him? you can't tell me they didn't TORTURE him... (spelling edit)

[oblivious]

12. I often wonder about that

What if they got one of the alleged doubles. It'd drive them crazy interrogating him, because no matter how much they tortured him, they couldn't get any sense out of him. He'd try to give them what they wanted in order to get the torture to stop, but his interrogators would know it was nonsense. They'd say that he was deluded, that he'd lost it.

Which sounds like what is happening now.