Hussein’s Gun May Go on Display at Bush Library

ny slimes ^ | 7-5-09 | DON VAN NATTA Jr.

[WOBBLY BOB]

Many American presidents have kept prized possessions within reach during their White House years. Franklin D. Roosevelt cherished a 19th century ship model of the U.S.S. Constitution. One of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s favorite gifts was an engraved Steuben glass bowl from his cabinet. And sitting on John F. Kennedy’s desk in the Oval Office was a paperweight made from a coconut shell he had carved with a distress message after his PT-109 was sunk during World War II.

[Chet 99]

Obama has a gun?

[Ueriah]

When I read the title, my first thought was “Obama Has A Gun?”

[yarddog]

Interesting that it was a Glock. I have seen several clips of him firing a pistol in the air and it was always a Browning Hi-Power.

[VRWCmember]

Mr. Russell said Mr. Hussein had been crouched on all fours, the gun on the floor. The soldiers kept the rare pistol, which can fire bullets automatically, with two AK-47s found in the farmhouse, he said.

Wow. That is rare. Most Glocks require the trigger to be pulled in order to fire bullets.

[VRWCmember]

The gun, a 9 millimeter Glock 18C, was found in the spider hole where the Iraqi leader was captured in December 2003 by Delta Force soldiers, four of whom later presented the pistol to Mr. Bush.

I'm pretty sure that Hussein was captured by 1st Artillery Division soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas. Not sure where this Delta Force business comes from.

[BGHater]

‘In early 2004, one of the soldiers came up with the idea of presenting the gun to Mr. Bush. On March 1 that year, the Delta Force men surprised the president with the pistol at an Oval Office meeting.’

It was illegal to bring back any war trophies at that time. I doubt Pres. Bush ‘owns’ it. It's probably part of the DoD inventory.

[ozzymandus]

A measely Glock? Where are the gold-plated AKs? Personally, I'd love to have Saddam's gold-plated Tommy gun. Talk about kitch.

[TADSLOS]

You mean the 1st Cav Division. Actually, it was a combined op with the 4th ID and SOCOM’s Task Force 121.

[Vinnie]

I have seen several clips of him firing a pistol in the air and it was always a Browning Hi-Power.

Me too.
Switcheroo?

[VRWCmember]

I guess I meant 4th Infantry Division, now that you mention it.

[ScottinVA]

“This my rifle, this is my gun...”

[TC Rider]

Somehow I had it in my head that it was a 1911.

Glock 18s are cool though, he needs one of the 33 round magazines for that baby.

[angkor]

>>>> captured by 1st Artillery Division soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas. Not sure where this Delta Force business comes from. <<<<<

It’s pretty well documented that Saddam was captured by JSOC Task Force 121/145 out of Balad with regular Army in support.

Delta/SEALS/Rangers/SAS.

Mark Bowden wrote an “excellent” article about TF121 for The Atlantic a couple years ago.

By the way there was a photo on the Internet some years ago showing Saddam being perp-walked through his palace and a crowd of 30+ JSOC guys. They were definitely not regular Army.

[angkor]

RE: TF121

See my #14 above.

[Tallguy]

I'm pretty sure that Hussein was captured by 1st Artillery Division soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas. Not sure where this Delta Force business comes from.

It could have been both. I recall a 'trophy' photo where several 'soldiers' had their faces edited out. That's usually an indication of CIA or a Special Forces Operator.

There was a task force that was created to act an intelligence clearing house that pretty much identified the farmsted on which Saddam was found.

[TADSLOS]

They were definitely not regular Army.

Nope. LOL!

[smithandwesson76subgun]

I had a chance to fire one of those at a local machine gun shoot. I don't know what the rate of fire is but it is very fast. It was useless without the buttstock.

[Hacklehead]

“Interesting that it was a Glock. I have seen several clips of him firing a pistol in the air and it was always a Browning Hi-Power.”

The Hi-Power was probably used by his impersonators. Only the boss got to use the Glock. No sissy pistols for Saddam.

[Oldpuppymax]

Obama has a gun?

Yeah, that was my first thought too. But then, that would make him a hypocrite and we all know how impossible THAT would be, huh!