# Hypothetical: If Saddam caught Bin Laden... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 8, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967 "2003-03-08T21:21:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/35a633/32.png) [@yme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yme)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/1 "2003-03-08T21:21:56Z")
…and he decided to turn him in to the US, would we have to give him the reward money? ---
**Author:** ![Timothy\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Timothy\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timothy_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/2 "2003-03-08T21:25:27Z")
I hypothesize that this thread will be moved or closed. ---
**Author:** ![BeatenMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ab097/32.png) [@BeatenMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeatenMan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/3 "2003-03-08T22:40:05Z")
It would save his ass. Bush would have to let him off. This would mean he had joined us on the war on terror. But, with somebody who has a HUGE banner that says Death to America at Bagdad airport I doubt he would do anything of the sort. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/4 "2003-03-09T00:08:58Z")
Wrong forum, but before it’s moved I’ll give my HO. Bush would say, “bin Laden’s been there all the time, and Sadam knoew it. This is yet another desperate, last minute attempt by Sadam to distract the world from his refusal to disarm.” The invasion would continue. No reward would be paid. ---
**Author:** ![Timothy\_Campbell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Timothy\_Campbell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Timothy_Campbell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/5 "2003-03-09T06:21:15Z")
**Boyo:** If Saddam got rid of every last military weapon, I somehow can hear Dubbya saying, “This is yet another desperate, last minute attempt by Saddam to distract the world from the fact that he still has a complete set of paring knives!” ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/6 "2003-03-09T14:41:32Z")
Boy, the people on this thread sure are cynical. I’m sure that we’d cheerfully pay Saddam the $25 million bounty. Then, we’d go kill him and take it back. 😃 Seriously, why even ponder this? Spend your time considering the consequences of something that might conceivably happen, like the moon crashing into the earth. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/7 "2003-03-09T17:07:13Z")
Let’s stick to the facts in this one. By the announced terms of the reward, would the United States be _obliged_ to pay the reward the party who hands him over is someone with whom we’re likely to go to war, like the Iraqi government? What if it were a known top lieutenant who then took over the organization? Emphasis on obliged. Like, legally obliged under U.S. or international law. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/8 "2003-03-10T01:40:11Z")
IHNIWITA (I have no idea what I’m talking about), but I can make a guess: I would assume that we would technically be obligated to pay; however, I doubt that we would actually do so. Seriously, if we refused to, what could they do to us? (I’m not saying that that _should_ be used as an excuse, simply that I think that it would.) ---
**Author:** ![Pencil\_Pusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Pencil\_Pusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pencil_Pusher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/9 "2003-03-10T01:52:27Z")
What was the last bribe to Turkey? 32 billion or something? 25 million is nothing to this administration. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/10 "2003-03-10T04:39:01Z")
The actual answer is [here at rewardsforjustice.net](http://www.dssrewards.net/english/FAQ.htm#q10). This is the agency created by the US government to offer, publicize and distribute the reward money for internationals terrorists and other major criminals. > [@](#): > > Q: How is the size of a reward amount determined? > > Answer: > > The process for paying a reward: a person is nominated for a reward from a U.S. investigating agency. > > An interagency committee chaired by the Department of State evaluates the information provided and determines if a reward should be paid. > > If the committee believes a reward should be paid, it then sets an amount for payment. > > The committee determines the size of the reward payment based on a number of factors, including the value of the information provided, the risk faced by the informant, and the degree of the informant’s cooperation in an investigation or trial. > > A recommendation for payment is made to the Secretary of State. > > The Secretary then consults with the Attorney General. > > If both approve the reward, then a reward is paid. Answer, not a chance in hell they would pay Sadam, nor are they legally obligated to pay ANYONE. Frankly, it appears very simple for this organization to screw an informant out of a promised reward. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-if-saddam-caught-bin-laden/159967/11 "2003-03-10T08:50:24Z")
I don’t think Saddam could really care less about US$25 million. I doubt it’s that much money to him, given all the oil he has got.