It's odd, but college students these days are not walking around with little green books called "The Wisdom of Saddam," the way they did with Mao's little red book in the Sixties. Odd thing. But maybe Saddam's words are not as well—filtered by devoted Western journalists.

Today we are getting Saddam's thoughts through a MEMRI translation of his recent telephone interview by Al—Fayhaa TV on March 28, 2006. If you ever wanted to hear Hitler or Stalin in person, speaking their minds, this is the closest you're likely to get. Saddam is of coursre speaking from his prison quarters in Baghdad. 

This guy is a sweetheart. The Al—Fayhaa interviewer brings up a recent speech to the Arab League by Saddam's old comrade in arms and Vice President of Iraq, 'Izzat Al—Duri in Sudan, a very good place for the Arab League to hold its recent summit meeting. Al—Duri is big killer material. He is the most wanted man in Iraq, after Saddam himself.  Al—Duri helped bring Saddam to power in 1968, and was head of the Baath Party, among other things. Today Saddam wants to spit in his face for daring to speak for Iraq to the Arab League.

Saddam Hussein is on trial for his life. Chances are that he will be hung soon for the "small" massacre he is currently being tried for. Yet he is simply obsessed with his good friend Al—Duri.

Saddam Hussein: "All 'Izzat Al—Duri ever wanted was to address the Iraqis as their leader, even if just for a few short minutes. Everybody remembers that he once addressed the Iraqi Women's Union without my knowledge. Do you know what I did to him?"

Interviewer: "We don't know. Tell us."

[...]

Saddam Hussein: "The first thing I did when they brought him was to spit in his face.

Interviewer: "Why?"

Saddam Hussein: "I said to him: 'You despicable man, I spit on your owl's face. How do you address these glorious women without me knowing about it?'"

"The only one who makes speeches in Iraq is the supreme leader — meaning me.

"At this point 'Izzat Al—Duri pulled out his handkerchief and cried. I said to him: 'Look 'Izzat, this time I forgive you, but I swear by my honor, and the honor of the history of the Arab nation, that if you ever repeat this mistake I will cut your tongue off.'"

Interviewer: "And now he has repeated this mistake, as you call it, and has published a statement addressed to the [Arab League] summit, as was mentioned on one of the television stations."

Saddam Hussein: "I didn't hear the speech, because I'm in prison."

Interviewer: "You're in prison. How can you give speeches?"

Saddam Hussein: "That's a good question. You watch the court sessions. How many sessions have there been so far? Fifteen sessions?"

Interviewer: "Seventeen."

Saddam Hussein: "I give a speech at every single session."

(Are the judges in Baghdad listening to this?)

James Lewis    3 28 06