Difference between revisions 803742 and 803767 on enwiki

The '''death of Saddam Hussein''' has been reported as a strong possibility by analysts associated with the US military, since a precision bombing attack in [[Baghdad]] shortly after the [[2003 Iraq war]] began. Videotapes released after the attack have not convinced US analysts that [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam]] is still alive. 

One tape showed a man who looks like [[Saddam Hussein]] wearing glasses and reading from handwritten notes. Analysts seized upon the glasses and notes as two big differences from Saddam's usual TV appearances. Additionally, a former mistress of the Iraqi dictator said it was not him: the man's cheeks were too puffy. 

Another tape provided only vague references to the progress of the war and could have been prepared in advance. It also praised a military leader for an attack, although that leader had already surrendered to US forces.

On the other hand, German intelligence says they don't believe that the video shows a double. A German television channel had revealed months before the war, however, that they conducted a study with different Hussein tapes and they had come to the conclusion that Hussein did use doubles on several of the occasions he had a public activity where he didn't have to talk. Because of the aforementioned facts and opinions, the matter of whether Hussein is still alive or not has become a subject of debate.

An alternative theory that has Hussein alive, but outside of Iraq, places him at the ''Hotel Cote d’Azur De Cham'' in Latakiya, [[Syria]].
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Most commentators currently believe that Saddam Hussein is still alive. On [[4 April]] he appeared on Iraqi TV and made references to the Apache helicopter that had been shot down. US intelligence officials said this showed that it was probably made after the first night of bombings that targetted him and his sons.

== External links ==
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2918331.stm Saddam on TV - April 4]