April 29, 2003

Saddam's mouthpiece 'seeks surrender'

Former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf is attempting to surrender to US forces, according to a London-based Arabic newspaper.

But Al-Sharq al-Awsat says the Americans have refused to arrest Mr Sahhaf - who became a familiar face during the war with his upbeat assessments of Iraqi military "successes" - because he does not appear on their "most wanted" list of 55 former regime officials.

An Iraqi Kurdish official told the newspaper that Mr Sahhaf was staying at his aunt's house in Baghdad, and was under surveillance by US forces.
[...]
Mr Sahhaf's daily press briefings in Baghdad during the war, at which his statements were increasingly at odds with reality, made him a cult figure in the West.

He was dubbed "Saddam's optimist" and "Comical Ali" by media commentators.

A website called We Love the Iraqi Information Minister, carrying his soundbites, has become an internet phenomenon after being set up by a group of New York friends.

Mr Sahhaf disappeared after American forces entered central Baghdad, but not before insisting: "They are going to surrender or be burned in their tanks."

US President George W Bush has admitted that he enjoyed Mr Sahhaf's briefings so much that he used to interrupt some of his meetings just to watch him.

"He's my man, he was great," he told NBC television in a recent interview. "Somebody accused us of hiring him and putting him there. He was a classic."

Woo-hoo! He didn't commit suicide after all!
I was tickled to pieces to hear President Bush tell Tom Brokaw that he loves Baghdad Bob as much as I do!

And on hearing this news that BB is alive and well, I can tell that those lovable scamps over at WeLovetheIraqiInformationMinister.com were overjoyed.
I just received my "God will roast their stomachs in hell!" BBQ apron that I ordered from their site and it's a classic, too.