Americans now on the trail of last ace in the pack

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 07/23/03 | editorial board

[Pokey78]

For months, America has deployed the full array of its formidable intelligence network to find Saddam Hussein and his sons.

But yesterday's breakthrough came after a simple tip-off from the owner of the house where Saddam's sons were sheltering.

At the start of the war, the US tried to "decapitate" the regime by bombing a building in Baghdad where Saddam was believed to be meeting senior lieutenants, but either missed him or the information was faulty.

As the military occupation of Iraq has become more established, though, the allies' intelligence has steadily improved.

One by one, US forces have rounded up 34 of the 55 senior members of the regime that appear on their "playing cards" of most wanted people.

The most vital development probably came last month, when soldiers arrested Abed Hamid Mahmud al-Tikriti, Saddam's presidential secretary and the most wanted man apart from Saddam and his sons. He was held without a fight when US forces surrounded a house in Tikrit, Saddam's tribal heartland.

Now the Americans have captured or killed the aces of diamonds (Abdel-Hamid), clubs (Qusay) and hearts (Uday). They are hoping the Ace of Spades - Saddam himself - will not be far behind.

[fhayek]

Saddam is such a card. He must be dealt with.

[muir_redwoods]

One ace perhaps but that Joker Osama is still on the list. I hope he's scared

[yooper]

All we have to do is catch him shuffling off to somewhere.

[fhayek]

I, for one, would like to deck him.

[oceanview]

I still say he escaped to Russia (or someplace else by now). Did he leave the boys behind to fight the guerilla war with the hope of returning?

[Prodigal Son]

Whoever is out there that probably knows where Saddam is is probably now only waiting to see if the "informant" for his two sons get their millions in reward. Once they get their payoff, Saddam's pucker factor is going to go off the scale.

[oceanview]

well, the cousin who owned the house, he was not killed, is that correct? you would think that the cousin, living in the house with the sons, would surely have asked "where's dad?" one night at the dinner table. right?

[redheadtoo]

I hope he's scared.

I hope he's dead!

[Prodigal Son]

I'm sorry. I don't follow your question.

[ellery]

We'll flush him out soon. Bet on it.

[TD911]

Way to protect the source!

"Owner of the house"=DEAD MILLIONAIRE

He better collect and get his a$$ on a plane.

[oceanview]

what I am saying is, the owner of the house (a cousin I believe), I don't believe that he was killed. so he must have spent some time in the house with the sons, and you would think he would have asked them, where is your father? so, wouldn't that cousin know if the sons told him where Saddam was?