hat tip to steve schuette.
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
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Were 3800 troops live and billions upon billions of dollars worth less than what Saddam was offering to go into exile? Read below.
Saddam asked Bush for $1bn to go into exile
27.09.07
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Saddam Hussein is said to have offered to go into exile for $1bn
George Bush was convinced that Saddam was serious about going into exile
Saddam Hussein offered to step down and go into exile one month before the invasion of Iraq, it was claimed last night.
Fearing defeat, Saddam was prepared to go peacefully in return for £500million ($1billion).
The extraordinary offer was revealed yesterday in a transcript of talks in February 2003 between George Bush and the then Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar at the President's Texas ranch. Article appears on the drudgereport.com today. Shocking!!
The White House refused to comment on the report last night.
But, if verified, it is certain to raise questions in Washington and London over whether the costly four-year war could have been averted.
Only yesterday, the Bush administration asked Congress for another £100billion to finance the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The total war bill for British taxpayers is expected to reach £7billion by next year.
More than 3,800 American service personnel have lost their lives in Iraq, along with 170 Britons and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians.
However, according to the tapes, one month before he launched the invasion Mr Bush appeared convinced that Saddam was serious about going into exile.
"The Eqyptians are speaking to Saddam Hussein," said Mr Bush.
"It seems he's indicated he would be prepared to go into exile if he's allowed to take $1billion and all the information he wants about weapons of mass destruction."
Asked by the Spanish premier whether Saddam - who was executed in December last year - could really leave, the President replied: "Yes, that possibility exists. Or he might even be assassinated."
But he added that whatever happened: "We'll be in Baghdad by the end of March."
Mr Bush went on to refer optimistically to the rebuilding or Iraq.
The transcript - which was published yesterday in the Spanish newspaper El Pais - was said to have been recorded by a diplomat at the meeting in Crawford, Texas, on February 22, 2003.
Mr Bush was dismissive of the then French President Jacques Chirac, saying he "thinks he's Mr Arab".
Referring to his relationship with Downing Street, he said: "I don't mind being the bad cop if Blair is the good cop."
The President added: "Saddam won't change and he'll keep on playing games.
"The time has come to get rid of him. That's the way it is."
Days before the invasion began on March 22, 2003, the United Arab Emirates proposed to a summit of Arab leaders that Saddam and his henchmen should go into exile.
It was the first time the plan had been officially voiced but it was drowned out in the drumbeat of war.
A spokesman for Mr Aznar's foundation had no comment on its authenticity.
Bomb attacks killed 57 people in Iraq yesterday.
What's your opinion on this Anon.?
You typed all this and left out your opinion, WHY?
Do you think we should have let this guy go into exile?
I hope you have more sense than that.
I'm sorry...I copied and pasted it from drudgereport.com. I wrote the first part sentence.
This is the link.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23414014-details/Saddam+asked+Bush+for+%241bn+to+go+into+exile/article.do
i figured broke back big eared obamy and the hildabeast would throw in together and then all the jackass demacraps could see just what clowns they realy are while they are carrying plates of goats eyes and dates to the towelheads that take this country over as soon as them two get elected
I don't think being a minority makes you a victim of anything except numbers. The only things I can think of that are truly discriminatory are things like the United Negro College Fund, Jet Magazine, Black Entertainment Television, and Miss Black America. Try to have things like the UnitedCaucasianCollege Fund, Cloud Magazine, White Entertainment Television, or Miss White America; and see what happens...Jesse Jackson will be knocking down your door.
Guns do not make you a killer. I think killing makes you a killer. You can kill someone with a baseball bat or a car, but no one is trying to ban you from driving to the ball game.
I believe they are called the Boy Scouts for a reason, that is why there are no girls allowed. Girls belong in the Girl Scouts! ARE YOU LISTENING MARTHA BURKE?
I think that if you feel homosexuality is wrong, it is not a phobia, it is an opinion.
I have the right "NOT" to be tolerant of others because they are different, weird, or tick me off.
When 70% of the people who get arrested are black, in cities where 70% of the population is black, that is not racial profiling, it is the Law of Probability.
I believe that if you are selling me a milkshake, a pack of cigarettes, a newspaper or a hotel room, you must do it in English! As a matter of fact, if you want to be an American citizen, you should have to speak English!
My father and grandfather didn't die in vain so you can leave the countries you were born in to come over and disrespect ours.
I think the police should have every right to shoot your sorry ass if you threaten them after they tell you to stop. If you can't understand the word "freeze" or "stop" in English, see the above lines.
I don't think just because you were not born in this country, you are qualified for any special loan programs, government sponsored bank loans or tax breaks, etc., so you can open a hotel, coffee shop, trinket store, or any other business.
We did not go to the aid of certain foreign countries and risk our lives in wars to defend their freedoms, so that decades later they could come over here and tell us our constitution is a living document; and open to their interpretations.
I don't hate the rich I don't pity the poor.
I know pro wrestling is fake, but so are movies and television. That doesn't stop you from watching them.
I think Bill Gates has every right to keep every penny he made and continue to make more. If it ticks you off, go and invent the next operating system that's better, and put your name on the building.
It doesn't take a whole village to raise a child right, but it does take a parent to stand up to the kid; and smack their little behinds when necessary, and say "NO!"
I think tattoos and piercing are fine if you want them, but please don't pretend they are a political statement. And, please, stay home until that new lip ring heals. I don't want to look at your ugly infected mouth as you serve me French fries!
I am sick of "Political Correctness." I know a lot of black people, and not a single one of them was born in Africa; so how can they be "African-Americans"? Besides, Africa is a continent. I don't go around saying I am a European-American because my great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was from Europe. I am proud to be from America and nowhere else
Gee who would have thought that Bush might have lied to us. I never did that's for sure. As a matter of fact I know that everything that has come out of his mouth is and always has been the truth. This Spanish news paper is probably run by those damn left wing democrats. Just know when dub ya says something it's the truth and if he says something different the next day, Well then by God that is now the truth.
When will you people learn.
Why would any American want to vote for anyone except John Paul? There can only be a few reasons, either you don't know who HE is, you will only vote for the other party, or you are just STUPID.
There has been nothing more upsetting for me than the media keeping his name buried and that stinks.
Why is his name not on the list? How many of you have looked at what kind of candidate HE is?
I thought it was Ron Paul.....
And to the first anonymous, should we allow tyrants and mass murderers to buy their freedom. It cost more to prosecute a child molester and jail him than it does to let the person remain free. Would justice be served to Saddam's victims of chemical weapons, rape rooms, torture chambers, etc. if we allowed him to buy his way out? Would you like to be the one to tell a man who was beat and tortured and was made to watch his wife and daugters raped and his sons killed that we decided to let Saddam off for $1 billion dollars? That money is pocket change to a plunderer and tyrant of his magnitude. The man had gold toilets in numerous palaces. What is $1 Billion dollars if you are just going to forcefully take it from defenseless people?
anon 2:22, was it worth almost a trillion american dollars, 1 million iraqi deaths and 3800 military deaths and thousands american military people maimed for one "tyrant" who was going to voluntary go into exile for 1 measly billion dollars? I say, HELL NO!!
why are you worried about some dead iraqis anyway not a damn one of them would ever amount to anything any way,its war people die so what?you think you will live for ever?be a man go join up kill some sand dan's the desert needs fertilizer---kill'em all and let god sort'em out
146 the boy scouts are lead by women thats why the kids call it menopause scouts
Joe Buice for President.
DANE for President JOE BUICE for Vice
All I can see plainly in this article is that Saddam wants to live and take "all the info he wants about WMDs" with him.
Did anyone else read that part?
I thought that he had nothing to hide?
If he did have these ties to WMD he would be in violation of the U.N's probation against him. I may be wrong but that's how I understand it. How does this look to other countries if they get cornered up by the U.N. or U.S. in the future.
The United Nations already seem like a joke but this would take the cake, maybe the Yellow Cake!
Lets say that he goes into exile,
who takes over?
A terrorist regime maybe?
Who would prevent an even more perverse dictator from a takeover after the bloody free- for- all?
The U.N.? HA! They are a joke remember, and now we're in Afghanistan trying to find Bin Laden who probably has slipped into the former Iraq by now and is being welcomed with open arms.
Now we are in a similar situation as we were in 03.
Do we go into Iraq to keep the terrorists at bay or do we leave it up to the U.N. to sort it out?
We definitely can't stay in Afghanistan with all this surrounding us so we are forced into fight or flight.
Your answer would be flight and that would leave TWO terrorist countries for sure. In my book I would say three counting Iran.
One last question,
If it became a complete terrorist country (very high probability of that outcome), what would happen with all that oil/power in a terrorists hands who just backed off two great powers?
OKAY, maybe 1 and a half great powers to keep it realistic
Just to think if Bush or the U.N would have just taken the money, all the answers would be solved.
Goes to show the Democratic way of thinking- GIVE GOVERNMENT MORE MONEY AND ALL OUR PROBLEMS JUST GO AWAY.
LSM
Also found on this same web page in the same article as you presented but somehow left out when you copy/pasted it.
"A spokesman for Mr Aznar's foundation had no comment on its authenticity."
Referring to the tape that supposedly captures all these conversations.
Don't expect me to take you seriously when you leave important statements like that out.
I respect your opinion and any views you have but this is an attempt to sway opinion by omitting valuable statements.
Every one should visit this link and read it for yourselves, just like everything else.
LSM
SORRY TEN THOUSAND TIMES OVER!!!
I failed to read your post correctly.
You have it posted right and I apologize.
I'm not sure how I didn't see that in the first place.
SORRY,
LSM
And for the topic of this post,
I would take Giuliani unless Newt runs.
Newt might not have the most experience of all the candidates but he is a straight shooter and will be open minded to all ideas.
I believe he may be too truthful for some people to vote for him though.
Every time I listen to this man he gives a lesson in common sense, something we have strayed far away from as a country.
LSM
Newt is not a straight shooter. He's had affairs with two women while he was married. He told his wife about one while she was in the hospital recovering from breast cancer. He was forced to step down in disgrace. He's a jerk.
Really, right now I don't see any clear cut choices. The Democrats are too liberal for me. They have got to moderate their stances quite a bit before I would even consider any of them. That's just the way it is and I won't change my opinion on this.
Even most of the Republicans are backpedaling from their stances. I don't see any real clear vision among the leaders though McCain and Romney are a little more in line with my thinking. Romney comes from Mass. where they elect murderers and cowards for senators so I don't know if his credentials will stand up.
I'm an anti-abortion, 1 man and 1 woman marriage only, and fair tax kind of voter. I believe the future president needs to have a solid Iraq plan in place before taking office. Also a strong illegal alien plan in place. I think a strong military is the only insurance we have against terrorism.
There is a lot more going on than just the Iraqi problem and to try and narrow the election down to one issue is just riduculous. What's done is done and we need to move forward and resolve it. Too many people dwell in the past and would rather place blame than solve problems.
9:23 you are right. Most of the dems are way to liberal, And most of the republicans are just bold face liars who have some how figured out a way to say I love Jesus and get away with anything. I do like Giuliani though I am traditionally a democrat I like his stand on abortion (I'm for it) and his stand on gay marriage (yep for that too). But Newt is a bonafide piece of fecal mater that should have just been a stain on the wall.
Jasmine is buddy with all the presidents. So yes she will be their. She might even give them a good shoe cleaning when she first sees them.
Think I'll vote for whoever runs on an independent ticket.
"Too many people dwell in the past and would rather place blame than solve problems", I would say, from my own point of view, that this is exactly the stance people take with Newt. He did screw up when he helped with Clinton's impeachment while having an affair of his own but don't forget the real reason behind the impeachment which was not infidelity in Clinton's marriage. I'm not making excuses for him, just stating facts, but it still follows him every where.
Anon 9:23,
the most conservative on the block right now is Sen. Huckabee, who unfortunately for you, hasn't got the media attention for a real shot.
Giuliani has the brains and backbone to make a great leader along with Newt.
Newt is more "conservative" (I put that in quotation because some of the time this should be called "a view more in line with common sense and American thought") with his ideas than Giuliani but both of them are open minded. As a matter of fact they are the MOST open minded candidates of both parties.
I would prefer Newt Gingrich over any candidate because he has fresh ideas spewing out of his mouth every time he speaks.
You know as well as I do that NO CANDIDATE could out debate this man. He has a grip on history that few, if any, candidates can touch.
He doesn't follow the same worn down path as his fellow Republicans do and that is definately a breath of fresh air.
Look him up, listen to him speak, and keep an open mind.
I listen to Ron Paul and find myself on his side MANY times but his stance on the war turns me away.
But I listen and try to keep an open mind.
Throw Red VS Blue out the window and GOOGLE like hell!
Newt ain't squeeky clean but I'll take his dirt over anyone else's.... and they all got it!
LSM
I sure as hell aint voting for a black muslim or a white bitch.This country aint about shit if the majority puts one of those sordid creatures at the reigns.
Now we're getting a few thoughtful views without the rhetoric! Thank you 9:23, 9:39 and 1:04.
I like ron paul, giuliani is a gay loving gun hater.
The Ron Paul campaign raised $2.4 million at the end of the second quarter, more than 99 percent of which came from individuals and almost half from small ($200 or less) contributions.
That means that Dr. Paul's campaign is truly supported by the people and not by special interests. Paul placed first in the N.H. Straw Poll with an unbelievable 72.7 percent of the vote and has come in first in nine others around the country.
Almost half of polled military personnel support Paul over other republican candidates — nearly as much as all others combined. This is because Rep. Paul's enlightened stance on matters of foreign policy resonates with those who see first-hand the realities of our dangerously misguided interventions on the world stage.
Finally, of the five republican primary debates Paul participated in, online polls showed Paul as the winner of four by a significant margin. The people have spoken — Ron Paul's message can no longer be ignored.
This could be our last chance to save the USA. Study up on the dude and vote.
If anyone on here has time to sit down and read this it is worth your time (I'm referring to the link below not my ramblings).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Ron_Paul
It is a Ron Paul site on wikipedia and it is very informative.
Just so you'll know, I am not a supporter of Ron Paul nor do I
have anything against him.
Yeah, it confuses me too.
I will say that I'm for the war and also for almost every view Ron Paul has.
Now you might have gone into a confusion coma.
Given the war at hand I don't think he will be the Republican Nominee but his views on States Rights over Federal Government should be what we aim for in the near future.
I can't see us walking away from the U.N., NATO, and many other alliances with foreign countries (Ron's goal) right now without it causing us greater conflict (inside our country and throughout the world) but as we start coming home from winning this war in Iraq we should start cleaning out our offices in these places and send the United Nations to some other country to hold their Anti- American pep rallies.
I'm still going to support Newt for the presidency (so don't get me wrong) because I think he is best suited for the task at hand. BUT, if we were not at war (and I firmly believe this war was inevitable with Al-Qaeda being in or around this region and Saddam's history) he would be getting a lot more support.
Someone like Ron Paul would have to be phased in as a president with someone else having ideas similar, but not as "radical", preceding him.
I feel bad that America has gotten so far gone that a candidate most aligned with the original idea of the Constitution can be seen as a "radical".
Regardless of who gets the honor of being criticized by the world and cussed at by mostly non voters as President Of The United States Of America, they will have to start the shrinking of Government or they will just be adding to our collapse as a "Free Nation".
You will also note that Ron Paul is not an alien and if we were not at war he would be a top-tier candidate.
Don't believe me?
Read, learn, and post back.
LSM
HAMBONE FOR PRES & GILLRILLA VICE
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