The Hindu : Saddam's 'exit strategy'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 17, 2002

International

International

Saddam's 'exit strategy'

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON NOV. 16. The Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, is reported to have agreed to a over £2 billion deal with Libya to ensure safe haven for his family members and top aides in case his regime is toppled by Americans, according to a leading British newspaper.

The Times today led with the story of Mr. Hussein's reported search for an "exit strategy'' for his family and "top cronies'' but said the `deal' with Libya did not include him or his controversial eldest son Uday as Tripoli did not want to risk a confrontation with Washington.

``Word of Saddam's deal with the Libyan leader has emerged from diplomatic sources in Tripoli following a visit to the Libyan capital on September 8 by General Ali Hasan al-Majid, a cousin and trusted member of Saddam's clan,'' the newspaper claimed adding that the arrangement involved paying £2.3 billions into Libyan bank accounts .

It said the move suggested that Mr. Hussein was "preparing for the defeat of his regime'' despite a public show of defiance. There were however no apparent plans for him to leave the country and western intelligence agencies assumed that he would "stay to the bitter-end'', The Times said.

The deal with Libya, which sceptics dismissed as `speculation', was reported as the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said that the "game is up'' for Mr. Hussein. He said the latest U.N. Security Council resolution left him with no escape routes and made clear that if Iraq did not comply with it `force' might have to be used.

``I will feel a great sense of sadness that it has not been possible to resolve this peacefully. But I also think that the future of international law and of greater peace in the world will depend on using force at this stage if it becomes necessary,'' Mr. Straw told New Statesman.

Observers were intrigued by a reference in The Times report to the possibility that Mr. Hussein might be arraigned for "war crimes.'' It said the reason Libya was reluctant to give refuge to Saddam or Uday was because it would bring Tripoli under "intense international pressure, particularly from Washington, to hand them over for war crimes.''

Analysts said this added a new element to the U.S. campaign against Iraq which, it now seemed, was not aimed simply at dismantling Baghdad's alleged weapons of mass destruction but included regime change and "public humiliation'' of Mr. Hussein. Though Mr. Straw ruled out British backing for regime change saying it would be "inappropriate to use international assistance to remove him (Saddam) from office if he complies with the resolution'', misgivings remained, given Prime Minister Tony Blair's publicly declared "shoulder-to-shoulder'' solidarity with Washington.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

I saved Pak. from sinking: Musharraf

Crucial components of Pak. Constitution in suspension

Cold peace prevails along Golan Heights

China: change of personnel, not policies

U. S. prepared for action: Rumsfeld

Saddam's 'exit strategy'

U.S. keen to choke terrorist funds

Chinmoy honours luminaries

LTTE recruitment for 'police service'

Indian-Americans to hold meetings with U.S. lawmakers

Mammen Mathew appointed Reuters trustee

27 Maoists gunned down

Pak. court asks Govt. to produce doctor