# Saddam to flee to Syria? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 28, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753 "2003-03-28T10:20:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Al\_E\_Gator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Al\_E\_Gator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_E_Gator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/1 "2003-03-28T10:20:34Z")
Fair use… [http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story\_page/0,5936,6199125%5E25778,00.html](http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6199125%255E25778,00.html) SADDAM Hussein has made extensive preparations to flee Iraq - and has already smuggled his family out to Syria. He has also been selling off property and valuables to raise millions for his exile. Just days before the bombardment of Baghdad began, Saddam’s first wife Sajida – mother of his heirs Uday and Qusay and daughters Raghad, Rana and Hala – fled to Damascus with three lorryloads of possessions and 60 bodyguards… [FULL ARTICLE](http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6199125%255E25778,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/2 "2003-03-28T11:18:02Z")
What is the source of _The Daily Telegraph_’s information? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/3 "2003-03-28T11:33:07Z")
You won’t get an answer from **Al E Gator**. The story comes from an Iraqi exile who’s lived in London for the past eight years. > [@](#): > > They are staying with Iraq’s ambassador to Syria, Saddam’s former protocol minister Haitham Rashid Wihaib told newspapers in London. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/4 "2003-03-28T11:56:26Z")
One problem with this story is that, even if all the details are true, they could equally be evidence of his determination to fight on to the end. Suppose you were in his position and had decided to die defending your bunker. Wouldn’t you be tempted to send your family abroad and then start selling your assets to ensure that they were provided for in exile? After all, we know that Hitler wanted to send Eva Braun away from Berlin in 1945 (she refused to go). Having your family around you can seriously hamper your style as you await your glorious death defending the cause. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/5 "2003-03-28T11:57:02Z")
Interesting. I haven’t seen anything about it elsewhere. Thanks for your response. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/6 "2003-03-28T12:05:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoe \* > \*\*What is the source of _The Daily Telegraph_’s information? \*\* The Daily Torygraph, along with the Mail and the Express have long been the favoured mouthpieces for “un-named intelligence sources” looking to release disinformation. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/7 "2003-03-28T12:07:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoe \* > \*\*What is the source of _The Daily Telegraph_’s information? \*\* The Daily Torygraph, along with the Mail and the Express have long been the favoured mouthpieces for “un-named intelligence sources” looking to release disinformation in the UK. It was used to great effect in the 80’s Miners Strike to allege all sorts of crap about strike leaders later found to be utter fabrications. No doubt the same thing goes on all over the world. This looks like one of those cases to me, unless other sources offer independent confirmation. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_E\_Gator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Al\_E\_Gator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_E_Gator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/8 "2003-03-28T12:09:40Z")
Zoe, Other than the quote that Desmostylus posted I have no idea of the Daily Telegraph’s sources for the article. Saddam would be foolish not to have some sort of an escape plan though. I did a search to see if I could find some more information but it appears that everyone else who is carrying the story is referencing the Daily Telegraph article as their source. The article also stated that he has an aircraft on stand-by 24 hours a day to fly him out of the country. It’s hard for me to believe though that he could escape in an aircraft without being shot out of the sky. Al E Gator ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/9 "2003-03-28T12:15:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Desmostylus \* > **You won’t get an answer from Al E Gator.** I stand corrected. My apologies **Al E Gator**. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/10 "2003-03-28T12:18:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tagos \* > **The Daily Torygraph, along with the Mail and the Express have long been the favoured mouthpieces for “un-named intelligence sources” looking to release disinformation in the UK.** _The Daily Telegraph_ that the OP refers to is an Australian newspaper, published in Sydney. However, the ultimate source of the story appears to be the UK paper _The Daily Mail_. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/11 "2003-03-28T12:22:01Z")
**Al E Gator** - Is the idea to debate _something_ (you haven’t framed a debate in your OP) based on a transparently unfounded and bias article ? Fwiw, at times like this it really pays to think hard about the sources of ‘information’ and the likely veracity. IMHO / YMMV / Yada Yada ---
**Author:** ![Al\_E\_Gator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Al\_E\_Gator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_E_Gator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/12 "2003-03-28T12:22:21Z")
Desmostylus, No apoligies necessary. 🙂 I’m new here and still trying to figure everything out. Best Wishes, Al E Gator ---
**Author:** ![Al\_E\_Gator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Al\_E\_Gator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_E_Gator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/13 "2003-03-28T12:33:22Z")
London\_Calling, My apologies for the lack of debate. I am new here and thought that it was interesting article so I posted it. I have **no idea** whether or not the article is biased. I live in the US and as far as I know the Daily Telegraph is a mainstream publication in the UK. Personally I think Saddam would have to be a total idiot not to have an escape plan of some sort but perhaps you know better than I on that. Al E Gator ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/14 "2003-03-28T12:40:04Z")
No worries, just couldn’t identfy what you wanted to debate … I guess the thread works as an object lesson in media awareness, or maybe I still misseed something … sorry to _snap_. Welcome aboard ! ---
**Author:** ![Al\_E\_Gator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/57b2e6/32.png) [@Al\_E\_Gator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_E_Gator)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/15 "2003-03-28T13:09:49Z")
London\_Calling No problem. I’m on a learning curve here. lol! Thanks for the welcome. Al E Gator ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-to-flee-to-syria/164753/16 "2003-03-28T13:21:07Z")
Hmmm. My husband was just talking to a Syrian guy the other day who said Syria HATES Hussein and that it would take a simple wave of the hand to get the Syrians to beat the crap out of him. Civilian-wise, that is. I’m sorry to say I’m not very up on inter-Arab relations, but this is the scoop as I received it. Can anyone shed more informed light on it?