# Do Iraqi's believe Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337 "2003-04-08T16:50:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/1 "2003-04-08T16:50:51Z")
You know the guy in the black beret. Iraq’s Minister of Information. Do the people of Iraq actually believe what he’s saying? A few examples: - Iraq still controlls Baghdad airport - There are no coalition forces inside of Baghdad - Coalition forces are commiting suicide by the hundreds outside the city walls Just curious MtM ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/2 "2003-04-08T19:33:03Z")
David Lamb of the LA Times profiled him today: > **[He Wages War -- on Reality](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-08-war-sahaf8-story.html)** > > Hussein's glib spokesman has won the admiration of Arabs by insulting the U.S. and reporting fantastic victories for Iraq. However, you have to register (free) for that story. ---
**Author:** ![Payne\_N.Diaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/3 "2003-04-08T20:46:51Z")
I read just today on the internet ([excite.com](http://excite.com), I think) that, while there are people who believe him, most Arabs watch him just for the entertainment value, to see what new, creative insults he can spew forth. In other words, for the same reason we watch him. ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/4 "2003-04-08T20:48:57Z")
I cant wait to see what he will be saying to the press when coalition tanks are driving past behind him. ---
**Author:** ![InTransit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47774/32.png) [@InTransit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InTransit)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/5 "2003-04-08T20:51:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChalkPit \* > \*\*I cant wait to see what he will be saying to the press when coalition tanks are driving past behind him. \*\* “And here are the coalition tanks we have captured…” ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/6 "2003-04-08T21:06:59Z")
Upon being dragged away by two G.I.'s: “You will not silence me ! We won, you bastards!” ---
**Author:** ![Lure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@Lure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lure)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/7 "2003-04-08T22:17:01Z")
I don’t know how much of \*\*his \*\* story they’re swallowing,but I think it’s significant that \* Iran TV \* has the caption \* the war for oil \* on their screen,while MSNBC’s caption says \* Operation Iraqi Freedom \*,as the propaganda wars assail you from different corners. My biggest question is which one of those do they believe? ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/8 "2003-04-14T20:01:12Z")
There is a site with listeners favorite delusional saying from this guy [Here](http://welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/) Check it out…if it doesn’t work try later because > [@](#): > > Sahafomania grips globe. Amateurish website dedicated to M.S.S. crashes four separate servers. Visitor rates reach 4000 per second. Website inexplicably featured in daily papers, Reuters, AP, CNN, BBC and assorted lame talk shows. Add your own favorite sayings! ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/9 "2003-04-14T20:15:24Z")
There is a site with listeners favorite delusional saying from this guy [Here](http://welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/) Check it out…if it doesn’t work try later because > [@](#): > > Sahafomania grips globe. Amateurish website dedicated to M.S.S. crashes four separate servers. Visitor rates reach 4000 per second. Website inexplicably featured in daily papers, Reuters, AP, CNN, BBC and assorted lame talk shows. Add your own favorite sayings! BTW Maybe after the war is over President Bush could hire him as HIS press secretary! ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/10 "2003-04-14T20:22:55Z")
Sorry about double post…thing froze up and I thought the first one died ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/11 "2003-04-14T22:14:09Z")
I don’t know if the Iraqis believed him, but it appears a lot of other Arabs did. No cite, but CNN had a story about lots of Arabs in shock about Baghdad falling so fast in light of what he was telling them. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-iraqis-believe-mohammed-saeed-al-sahaf/167337/12 "2003-04-14T22:30:36Z")
Apparently he lost a lot of credibility when he denied there were Americans in Baghdad to reporters - and they could see the American flag flying over his shoulder somewhere is the city.