White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan denied that the White House had a role in keeping a gruesome video of atrocities committed by Saddam Hussein's regime from the media. When asked by Talon News on Thursday to explain the virtual news blackout of the horrific images of Iraqis being beheaded, tongues being cut out, and fingers being chopped off, McClellan said that he'd "leave it to the media to address those issues."McClellan pointed out that Saddam Hussein has a long history of brutal crimes against his own people and his neighbors.
"It is important to remind people of the atrocities that Saddam Hussein's regime committed," McClellan said.
The press secretary indicated that he thought the information in the video would emerge at Saddam's trial.
"It's important to remember that this was a regime that had mass graves, torture rooms, and rape rooms, and engaged in the kinds of atrocities that no one should stand for," McClellan told Talon News. "And I don't think the Iraqi people will ever let people forget those atrocities."