Hey folks,I cannot take credit for raising this question. It was a caller of a local radio show here in south Florida. The caller said, how can we know for sure that it really IS Saddam who was hung. He had imposters running all over the place when we were trying to get him.
I thought to myself. He has a VERY valid point. I remembered that even some major news outlets did stories on the imposters. I searched and found this one from CBS back on March 20, 2003. Here it is in it’s entirely"(CBS) Twice since the shooting started the world has been shown videotape from Baghdad of a man who looks, acts, and talks like Saddam Hussein. But, as CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart reports there's an ongoing debate within the Bush administration over whether this is actually the man himself or just a darn good imposter.
Several hours after the first cruise missiles struck Baghdad late Wednesday, Iraqi television showed this tape of Hussein allegedly answering the challenge. He even made reference to the date to prove this wasn't an old videotape.
But is it really Saddam? Veteran Hussein watchers were thrown by the thick glasses the heaviness in the face, and the uncharacteristically narrow shoulders. "My initial reaction was, 'Gee. That does not look like him,'" said Jerrald Post, who created the CIA's psychological profile unit and has studied Hussein intensely.
"Either that was a really quite drawn and stressed out, puffy-faced from not getting enough sleep Saddam, or it represented a double," he said.
Iraqi defectors have long insisted that Hussein uses doubles to throw off his enemies and maintain an air of secrecy. The look-alikes reportedly had plastic surgery and were trained in the dictator's mannerisms, including the way he walks, and even down to his facial tics.
Over the years the CIA has kept careful watch as well, from his first Gulf War days of usually wearing a uniform to the more presidential Hussein usually seen in business suits and matching ties.
A German forensic pathologist studied hundreds of Hussein photos and videotapes, concentrating on his mustache and eyebrow measurements.
Then he used computer software to locate specific points such as the tip of his nose and the cheekbone creating a face print which was compared to the Hussein photographs.
His conclusion: that there are three Hussein impersonators, all with small, distinct differences.
Interestingly, the German pathologist reportedly has carefully examined these latest tapes from Baghdad and concluded that this is the real Hussein. The truth, obviously, is hiding somewhere in Baghdad."
So, as I said to Sam, with the possibility of an imposter taking his place, even eye witness accounts could be called into question. Some of these imposters even had surgery to look more like him. The truth is we really have no way of knowing if Saddam is REALLY the one hung, barring DNA evidence. That only depends on the Iraqis cooperation.
Why would they do this? Believe it or not, there really is a real possibility that there are some that will risk ANYTHING to save his life. Some of these diehards truly believe in Saddam. They worship him. I would not doubt in the LEAST, the possibility of a switch. I do rest assure that even if he was to live, he will not return like Jesus, from the dead, to reign in Iraq. If this was to happen, I have NO doubt that we will do what we SHOULD have done in the beginning. Go there and LEVEL the place. Period. Then rebuild and set up a government. If we had done that in the beginning, we would be home by now.
Either way, it seems that we have, according to the Iraqis, turned over Saddam, and that the hanging will be taking place tomorrow, or today, time difference, in Iraq time. Should be interesting to see what happens. You KNOW that there will be some kind of video, either by the MMD or U Tube or something soon.
Peter
Source;
CBS News-"Saddam Or Imposter?"
