Saddam's Future.
Posted on 02/17/2003 6:16:11 PM PST by knak
Saddam Hussein was last night reported to have placed his defence minister and close relative under house arrest in an extraordinary move apparently designed to prevent a coup.
Iraqi opposition newspapers, citing sources in Baghdad, yesterday claimed that the head of the Iraqi military, Lieutenant-General Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Jabburi Tai, was now effectively a prisoner in his home in the capital.
The minister's apparent detention, also reported by Cairo-based al-Ahram newspaper, is surprising. He is not only a member of President Saddam's inner circle, but also a close relative by marriage. His daughter is married to Qusay Hussein, the dictator's 36-year-old younger son - considered by many as his heir apparent.
Reports of the general's arrest came amid signs of growing apprehension in Baghdad that the Iraqi army, including the elite Republican Guard, might desert in the event of an attack on Iraq.
Last night one independent source in Baghdad contacted by the Guardian confirmed that Gen Sultan was in custody. "He continues to attend cabinet meetings and appear on Iraqi TV, so that everything seems normal," said the source, a high-ranking official with connections to Iraq's ruling Ba'ath party. "But in reality his house and family are surrounded by Saddam's personal guards. They are there so he can't flee."
The source also claimed that several other high-ranking military and government officials had been arrested in the past few days. Any signs of dissent within Baghdad will be watched very closely by US and other intelligence services.
The Saudi regime has been taking the lead in attempting to foment unrest within Baghdad. Under a proposal put forward by the Saudi foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, all but President Saddam's innermost circle would be granted immunity from war crimes prosecution - the hope being that such a guarantee would encourage senior members of the Iraqi government to stage a coup.
This is not the first time President Saddam has apparently fallen out with his family. In 1996 he had his two sons-in-law executed after he persuaded them to return to Baghdad following their defection to Jordan. His estranged first wife Sajida is no longer on speaking terms with him after the mysterious death of her brother.
Gen Sultan has been one of President Saddam's most trusted colleagues. In the humiliating aftermath of the 1991 Gulf war, it was he who signed a ceasefire deal between the Iraqi army and US-led coalition forces. More recently he negotiated with Moscow over the resumption of military ties.
The fear that Iraq's 700,000-strong regular army might refuse to fight invading American troops has prompted President Saddam to take drastic measures. Last week he reportedly deployed a ruthless militia of Iranian fighters to several key cities to crush any popular uprisings. The Mojahedin-e-Khalq - a violent Iranian opposition group based in Iraq - was sent to defend urban areas, including Baghdad, Kurdish newspapers reported. MEK fighters have also arrived at the border with Kuwait and Syria.
The MEK remains fanatically loyal to the president and is likely to lead any street fighting against US troops, Iraqi opposition sources believe.
Gen Sultan earned a reputation as one of Iraq's most courageous officers during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and was decorated by President Saddam Hussein for bravery. A well-respected soldier, he survived several purges of Iraq's military establishment in the aftermath of the war and rose to become the Iraqi army's most senior general. President Saddam eventually made him defence minister.
Not much hope now but you never know.
From your keyboard to God's ears....
"Here we go Coup de Coup. Here we go Coup de Iraq. Here we go Coup de Coup...Long 'bout Saturday Nacht"
Wolfman Jack where are you???
What is the scripture? Ah, yes. "A house divided against itself . . ."
Is it possible the arrest came because the minister broke the new Iraqi law against WMD?
Yeah, Saddam usually doesn't wait for confirmation of guilt. I think the news is probably just allowed to dribble out slowly. This guy is probably long dead.
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