A WAR THAT ENDED BEFORE IT STARTED

Aziz admits Saddam may be dead (TOM CURTIS, 4/27/03, Scotland on Sunday)

FORMER Iraqi prime minister Tariq Aziz has told American intelligence officials that he has not seen Saddam Hussein since the first night of the war, it was claimed last night.

Aziz, who surrendered to US forces last week, has fuelled speculation that the Iraqi dictator was killed or seriously injured when the bunker in which he was hiding with his sons has hit by cruise missiles.

According to US intelligence sources, the 67-year-old has said he does not know whether Saddam is alive or dead.

However, he has told his captors he presumes the former Iraqi leader was incapacitated as he played no role in coordinating the defence of Baghdad.

The director of the CIA, George Tenet, has reportedly been saying he believes Saddam is dead after being briefed on Aziz?s testimony.

This has always seemed the most likely scenario. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 26, 2003 10:02 PM