[Poser]

No way the tape mentioning the chopper was from 1991. Saddam is 12 years older. If you are saying he made pre-war tapes that were similar to the ones from 1991, that is entirely possible. That particular tape was several minutes long. One would have to assume that he spent hours and hours making all sorts of statements just in case he was dead and his people needed them.

The simplest explanation is more likely. On that basis, I believe the preponderance of the evidence shows he is alive.

It's just an opinion. I refuse to wear a tinfoil hat today.

[Warren_Piece]

You've got me convinced he's alive. However, he can't be controlling the Iraqi toops. Or is he is, he's an idiot. THe Iraqi army is not putting up anything that resembles a coherent defense. How the heck did he take over and hold the country for 30 years if he's that militarily stupid?

[JLS]

"One would have to assume that he spent hours and hours making all sorts of statements just in case he was dead and his people needed them."

Or worried that he might at some point be cut off from his communications, he made one tape with a really outlandish claim, ie a farmer with an old gun shot down a chopper, that the Iraqis could claim was true and then later play the tape. It is pretty clear that that farmer did NOT shoot down that chopper according to the coalition side.

Another way this could have come back was that this was set up as a signal. Thus the plan even before the pre-emptive strike was to use this statement to signal some move. After he was killed/badly injured they decided to use it to "prove" he is still alive and in control.

I guess time will tell.