Reuters: Saddam accepted UAE exile plan to avert Iraq war-TV

[Up2Late]

(I wonder how much "outside pressure" was put on these Arab League members to oppose this proposal?)

Saddam accepted UAE exile plan to avert Iraq war-TV

Fri Oct 28, 2005 05:19 PM ET

DUBAI (Reuters) - Deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had secretly accepted a last-minute plan to go into exile to avert the 2003 Iraq war, but Arab leaders shot the proposal down, Al Arabiya television reported on Friday. UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan made the proposal for Saddam to go into exile at an emergency Arab summit just weeks before the U.S.-led war began in March 2003.

But the 22-member Arab League, led by Secretary-General Amr Moussa, refused to consider the initiative. "We had got the final agreement from the different parties, the main players in the world and the person concerned -- Saddam Hussein -- within 24 hours," Mohammed bin Zayed, deputy head of the UAE armed forces and crown prince of Abu Dhabi, told the UAE-based channel in a documentary.

"So we were coming to put facts on the table, and there would have been results had it been discussed," he said. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak says in the documentary that the United States had signaled its support for the proposal.

The documentary says the Iraqi delegation at the summit in Egypt had been unaware of Saddam's "secret consent" to the plan, which Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri dismissed as "silly." It was not clear why Arab opposition alone scuppered the arrangements, which Al Arabiya said would have seen Saddam go into UAE exile with a promise of protection from legal action.

<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=10093684&src=rss/topNews>
(more at link above)

[NYC Liberal]

1. If Saddam had gone into exile, we would still be in the same boat

They don't tell you that little bit when they say "Oh well SADDAM could have prevented this!"

If Saddam had gone into exile, US troops would have simply moved in from Kuwait and taken over. All that would have been avoided would be the looking for him; but everything else would have been no different.

I mean, up until December, we were in there without Saddam ANYWAY!

[CottonBear]

3. I'd already posted but you are probably right on this point. n/t

[yurbud]

13. that is a very disturbing photo of barbara bush

[NYC Liberal]

15. Her expression right after the Astros lost the WS.

[MisterP]

14. ghouls! Happy Halloween (and a very Merry Fitzmas!)

[yurbud]

37. most people would only look like that after they lost their colon

[CottonBear]

2. You know, I was recently pondering the exile option and I wondered why

it was not offered. :( Idi Amin and Baby Doc Duvalier got sweet exile deals
so why not Hussein? This really sucks, if true. :(

[daleo]

4. Bush wanted Saddam to stay, he needed a bogeyman

I agree with the previous poster, who said it didn't matter anyway. Bush/PNAC were hell-bent on invasion and war.

[Yupster]

12. It was offered

Bush in his last speech before the war gave Saddam 48 hours for himself and his sons to leave Iraq or there would be war.

I was on DU announcing that Saddam would fly out at the last minute and take the mansion right next to Idi Amin's. Then from there he would plan his comeback.

It was one of many times I've been wrong.

If Saddam wanted to leave, he would have left.

If

[ingac70]

5. Bush would invaded UAE....

To go after the man that tried to kill his Daddy!:silly:

[eridani]

6. Don't forget that the Bushies specifically shot down any exile plans

No, we did not invade to get rid of Saddam. The asshole would have been just as gone from Iraq had he been exiled. We could have then swapped permanent weapons inspection for an end to sanctions, and Iraq would have escaped further destruction of its infrastructure. Not to mention the tens of thousands of people who would still be alive.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/5415227.htm?1c
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/iraq/topstories/031803cciraqbush.709e7010.html
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:MIdjUeeOeKMJ:www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/iraq/topstories/031803cciraqbush.709e7010.html+Fleischer+%22if+saddam+seeks+exile%22&hl=en

U.S. troops are headed into Iraq one way or another. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said that even if Saddam seeks exile U.S. forces will enter Iraq to disarm it - hopefully without opposition.

[ECH1969]

7. Saddam accepted UAE exile plan to avert Iraq war-TV

DUBAI (Reuters) - Deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had secretly accepted a last-minute plan to go into exile to avert the 2003 Iraq war, but Arab leaders shot the proposal down, Al Arabiya television reported on Friday.

UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan made the proposal for Saddam to go into exile at an emergency Arab summit just weeks before the U.S.-led war began in March 2003. But the 22-member Arab League, led by Secretary-General Amr Moussa, refused to consider the initiative.

"We had got the final agreement from the different parties, the main players in the world and the person concerned -- Saddam Hussein -- within 24 hours," Mohammed bin Zayed, deputy head of the UAE armed forces and crown prince of Abu Dhabi, told the UAE-based channel in a documentary.

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak says in the documentary that the United States had signaled its support for the proposal.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051028/ts_nm/iraq_saddam_exile_dc_2

[Brundle_Fly]

8. this stinks of

it wasn't Bush's fault that there was war, it was the Arabs.

I don't buy it.

[ECH1969]

9. Al Arabiya really did this whole presentation

and all these interviews to help Bush? They could give a crap less about our politics.

[seriousstan]

10. Doesn't surprise me. It is the same stance they take with the Palestinians

Let the others stand in the face of death while you stand on the sidelines drinking coffee and yelling "Don't back down, fight to the death".

[DeepModem Mom]

43. misspost -- self-delete

[Aimah]

11. The US didn't want Sadaam exiled.

1. Why would he let the guy who "tried to kill his father" go free into another country.

2. Although most of the Arab world didn't care much for Sadaam exiling him would gain him credibility he would be able to say whatever he wanted whenever he wanted about the Bush administration.

3. Part of the excuse (which changed often) was that Sadaam gassed his own people an Iranians it would be a lost point if you let him run to UAE.

4. Sadaam replaced Usama as our target. Not being able to get Usama or Sadaam would continue to be an issue for Bush. Sadaam is 9-11s scapegoat.

[unblock]

16. uae says saddam agreed to exile before war

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051029/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_saddam_exile

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer
Sat Oct 29, 6:56 PM ET



DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Saddam Hussein accepted an 11th-hour offer to flee into exile weeks ahead of the U.S.-led 2003 invasion, but Arab League officials scuttled the proposal, officials in this Gulf state claimed.

...

Saddam allegedly accepted the offer to try halt the invasion and bring elections to Iraq within six months, claimed the official and Sheik Zayed's son.

"We had the final acceptance of the various parties ... the main players in the world and the concerned person, Saddam Hussein," the son, Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said during the program aired Thursday to mark the first anniversary of his father's death.

Sheik Zayed's initiative would have given Saddam and his family exile and guarantees against prosecution in return for letting Arab League and U.N. experts run Iraq until elections could be held in six months, the official said.

...

[SammyBlue]

17. You mean, Saddam would have exiled himself and over 2000 of our troops

would still be alive?

This is unreal!

on edit: Recommended. SKINNER, put this on the front page! This is important, given the times and the CIA leaks!!!

[napi21]

18. There's a tidbit I never heard before! If this catches national attention

Shrub's in deep trouble AGAIN!

I doubt many Americans would have opposed exile v/s going to war! Even if they would have then, then sure wouldn't now.

[ECH1969]

21. The Arab League shot the proposal down

Because, they didn't want elections in Iraq period. Elections would have meant the end of Sunni minority rule in Iraq and the rise of Shia majority rule.

[daleo]

28. So they preferred a war

That resulted in the end of Sunni minority rule in Iraq, and the rise of Shia majority rule?

[ECH1969]

30. They were beting on the Sunnis beating the Shia

After US troops were forced to leave, hell many are still betting that.

[madeline_con]

22. It's catching attention now, because all DUH-bya's f-ups...

are being reviewed for all to see.

Maybe the NYT- Plame debacle has taught some media outlets a lesson.

[Yupster]

33. In Bush's pre-war speech on tv

he gave Saddam and his sons 48 hours to get out of Iraq or they would be invaded.

I was all over DU at the time spouting incorrectly that at the last minute he would fly to Saudi Arabia and take the palace next to Idi Amin's while he plotted his comeback.

He didn't go. If he wanted to he would have.

[madeline_con]

19. It was reported at the time on major US networks...

It's not clear to me why he didn't just GO. (?)

[unblock]

23. he needed to be guaranteed protection and no prosecution.

[madeline_con]

24. He had lots of choices...

Bahrain offers exile to Saddam
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/19/sprj.irq.bahrain.saddam/


Pope offers Saddam 72 hours to go into exile
March 12 2003
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/11/1047144971917.html


Libyan exile offered Saddam & co
http://www.afrol.com/articles/12967


US offers immunity to Saddam
Rumsfeld and Powell back exile plan
Monday January 20, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,878269,00.html


MORE HERE:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Saddam+offered+exile&btnG=Google+Search

[unblock]

27. the u.s. story (rumsfeld and powell) is simply not credible

of course they went on t.v. and whatnot to pretend to offer saddam a way out. but there's no way in hell they were privately giving saddam the proper assurances he would need.

the evidence lies in the continued occupation of iraq. if all they were ever interested in was in getting saddam out, they would have packed up as soon as they found him.


no, behind the scenes, and at times publicly, the shrubbies would sabotaging any and all efforts to avoid war.

[madeline_con]

29. I tend to believe that even had Saddam left...

the "need" for occupation would still have existed, and the "insurgents" would still have streamed across the borders to get at the Americans in Iraq.

[CJCRANE]

42. Ari Fleischer

mentioned in a press conference just before the war that, even if Saddam left, the troops would go in and occupy the country for the sake of security and stability.

[Why Syzygy]

32. Call me tin hat

but I think he did go into exile.

I don't really give a damn. I just want our men and women to come home.

[Yupster]

34. I agree Madeline

At the time I was positive he would go.

He had to go.

Why wouldn't he go?

I think he was just pretty detached from the reality of his situation.

He sure would have been better off in a palace waiting for the US to leave so he can have his Napolean moment as he returned from Elba to power again.

I'm sure that would have been a better plan than what's coming for him soon, and his sons are already dead.

[babylonsister]

20. I do remember an offer being made to SH at the time, but

not an acceptance. So he was offered exile, accepted, and then he was denied it? In the interim... there didn't have to be a war?

[dwightspencer]

25. Assylum speculation

It is too bad the UAE official will not come forward and break this. The press will never pick this up here. The Sunday shows will still be reeling from Mier and Fitzgerald to care. Unless we can bring a groundswell of interest and try to get some more attention to this story, this may be the only place we will see it. :(

[willing dwarf]

26. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

If this is true, it is the clincher showing that ridding Iraq of Saddam was pure fiction, a handy excuse to march into Iraq get its oil and make it the next Saudi Arabia. Only thing they didn't count on was that grateful as they were the Iraqi's weren't about to simply roll over and let the US have its way with them.

The torture at Abu Graib is more than a bizarre and horrifying anomaly, it reveals the mindset of the American army toward the people they once spoke of liberating, the people they now call enemy.

I wonder if Bush will be offered exile when his betrayal of America becomes clear? Where will he flee? WHat country will have him?
Pakistan?

[madeline_con]

31. "WHat country will have him? "

Perhaps he can join Idi Amin at his villa in Jeddah!

[Yupster]

36. That's where I thought he was going

at the time.

There's no way Saudi Arabia could have turned down an Arab ruler, and there were other offers too.

The US would have been happy to march in unopposed.

[Why Syzygy]

35. Yeah... the story was

that SH had WMDs. Well, guess he didn't!
Guess who has them now? Thank you, George W. Bush.

:grr:

[merwin]

38. kick

[lovuian]

39. UAE says Saddam agreed to exile before invasion

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=305a17e16afe8552

Saddam Hussein agreed to go into exile long before the Iraq invasion, UAE officials have confirmed.

A proposal by the United Arab Emirates late president, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, at an emergency Arab summit held in Egypt in February 2003 that Saddam agree to go into exile, and that elections be held in Iraq within six months, was agreed to by Hussein.

The news became public when Al-Arabiya television aired a documentary this week quoting the son of the late UAE president, Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The program was broadcast to con-incide with the first anniversary of the late president's death
more...

It does make you curious!!!

[NYC Liberal]

40. We'd still be in the same boat even if he had left.

Nothing would have changed despite the rightwing's talking point that "Saddam could have prevented this war!"

[MarsThe Cat]

41. the problem for sadaam-

he didn't agree to go into exile before dick cheney became president.
by then- it was too late.