Saddam’s exit strategy

Baghdad

Saddam Hussein expects to be sentenced to death, the head of his defense team said this week, but he doesn’t think he’ll actually be executed. Instead, said Khalil al-Dulaimi, the deposed dictator believes the U.S. will use the verdict to “blackmail” him into helping stabilize the country. “These puppets in the Iraqi government that the Americans brought to power are helpless,” al-Dulaimi quoted Saddam as saying. “The Americans will certainly come to me, to Saddam Hussein’s legitimate leadership and to the Iraqi Baath Party, to rescue them from their huge quandary.” Al-Dulaimi indicated that when the time comes, Saddam would consider such a request. The U.S. had no comment.

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