Does anyone else here think that Saddam is dead?

[Lady M]

Of course, we don't know for sure, but I think Saddam just might be dead.

It has been reported that the tapes we've seen of him since the bombing of that bunker were recorded before the war began.

Also, I would think that, after the bombing of the bunker which held many of the high-ranking Iraqi officials, Saddam would want to be seen publicly to assure his people that "he's alive and all is well in the capital of Baghdad."

My thinking is that if Saddam is really dead, the Republican Guard and all of the top Iraqi officials have to keep it quiet or else it might cause the people who are truly against the regime to rise up against them.

I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts were on this.

Mariel

 

[SuiteDisney]

I can't seem to make up my mind. One day I'm sure he's dead and the next day I'm sure he's alive. I sure hope he's dead.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Good question! The reports that I have heard on FOX and MSNBC is that if he is not dead, he is wounded from the waist down...... because films have not shown him standing in his usual position, which is standing.

It is a very great posibility that he is dead, however, the republic needs to be disarmed and overwhelmed. Your theory on the republic makes a good point. An uprising is exactly what you will have. Something has happened to him for sure, but what?

 

[Grog]

I'm really not sure. If he is alive, he could be wounded and not want the people to know it for the same reason that they might rise up as if he were dead. He might not be coming out in the open because the strike against him on day one probably has him more paranoid than ever that we can find him if he shows himself. Of course there is also the argument that if he were alive, all he needs to do is let himself be filmed holding up today's newspaper. Just can't say one way or another

 

[Keli]

I guess I don't really believe saddam is dead although I sure would like to think that. I think security is the reason saddam doesn't do a live broadcast. We'd nail him in a new york minute.

 

[CRB#33]

I have no idea.

I do hope that if he does get killed (or is already), that we find out for sure, so there isn't years of speculation.

I'm not sure that our government would want to let this out either. I'm sure if protesters around the world find out Saddam is dead, there will be an even bigger push to end the war. Getting rid of Saddam will do no good if we leave his loyalists in there.

 

[jamsmom]

FOX showed a video with Iraqi leaders. In the video, there is a man standing against that wall that apprently NEVER leaves Saddam's side sa he is part of chief security.

Intersting......

 

[nativetxn]

I don't know if he's dead or not. I just wish the media would <i>stop</i> speculating. When you find out what happened, report it, otherwise just shut up. The media is just getting on my nerves anymore.

 

[Jeafl]

I think he may be dead, but if not, then I do believe he is wounded. It's hard to believe he would pass up the opportunity to go on TV and brag about our casualties. If he were alive and well he would have made sure everyone knew about it.

 

[DonnaS]

If he's not dead, then I think he is seriously wounded. If I was forced to pick one way or the other, I 'd say he was dead and that his sons (at least the saner one) are working at keeping the regime together and running.

 

[delswife]

If we are left wondering, how about the Iraqi people. Humm, I think if he is alive, it would be in his best interest to show that to his people.

Come on Sadam, step outside!

 

[Jeff in BigD]

Originally posted by Laurajean1014
The reports that I have heard on FOX and MSNBC is that if he is not dead, he is wounded from the waist down.

Well, we already knew he was Mr. Numbnuts



Seriously though I really don't think he's dead. He may be wounded, but I don't think he's dead. It's coming soon though.

 

[Mamu]

SADLY NO. I think he's a coward and he's hiding out in some bunker, just like Hitler.

I believe evil may thrive for a while but in the end evil is defeated.

 

[Mermaid02]

I think he is either dead or SERIOUSLY wounded. This guy LOVES himself.... pictures and statues EVERYWHERE.... if he were able to- he would have put out a picture of himself with PROOF that he were alive.... such as a newspaper with a timely headline. Instead all we see are videos with no apparent timeline at all. If he were alive he would have nothing to lose by proving it- and everything to gain "see how powerful I am? I survived the best the United States could throw at us.". When the Iraqi Ambassador was asked if he was alive or not he laughed and said, "I know he is alive, I see him on tv just like you do." Hmmmmmmmmm not exactly proof.

 

[Dan Murphy]

As I have said at home, Marie, I do think he is either dead or severely immobilized, from that first night salvo at Bagdad HQ's. I believe if he was alive and mobile, he would take many opportunities over the past days to demonstrably position himself for the public. If he is not dead, we can only wish he is.

 

[Timbo]

I think he is dead. I keep wondering why Israel has not been attacked. In Gulf War I Israel was hit numerous times. This time, nothing. I think that whoever is running Iraq may be thinking that he would rather negotiate with the USA than bring the wrath of Israel down on his country. If Saddam was alive I think he would be attacking Israel and trying to extend the war beyond the Iraq borders.

 

[Libbysmom2000]

I thought he was gone until I read an article in the paper yesterday (Newark Star Ledger) by the architect who designed one of the bunkers under the Royal Palace. He was employed by a German firm that was hired to build this bunker in the mid 1980's (these facts were independently confirmed). From the description in the article nothing short of a nuclear bomb will destroy this thing.

 

[Lanshark]

The question I have is if he is indeed dead wouldn't the Iraqis have made that known to stop further advancement on our part. Wouldn't it have given them the perfect opportunity to say to the allies, "Alright you can stop now, he's dead". It may have been a ploy but they would have been able to stall our momentum.

 

[steve_rob]

Sorry to go against the majority, but I don't think he is. Like a previous poster, I believe he's cowered up in a bunker somewhere (probably not even in Bahgdad) hoping he won't get found.

The Pentagon are experts at playing mind games and what they are doing by constantly leaking these rumours is a fairly standard tactic. They know he's hard to find and to hit when he's hiding, so by telling everyone he's dead (or injured) they're hoping to force him out onto the streets or at least onto Iraqi TV to prove he's not. And when he does that, he's a lot more vunerable to bombings or assassination (either by an undercover CIA / SAS operative or a disgruntled Iraqi dissident).

Personally I think that's a very good tactic and one worth a shot (no pun intended!). But I don't believe he's dead yet.

 

[WilmaBud]

I think he's dead or severely incapacitated. He's too much of an egomaniac not to appear on TV in defiance of the US. I think everything they've shown so far has been old tapes of him made in anticipation of the war. And, I don't think Iraq would want us to know that he's dead. There are probably plenty of Saddam's right-hand men who have delusions of grandeur. They know their own countrymen would give up if they thought Saddam was dead, so they want to sustain the illusion so they can try to maintain control of the country and the military. Otherwise, I think it would be complete anarchy over there.