# Saddam's Mustache

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 15, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177 "2003-12-15T20:21:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177/1 "2003-12-15T20:21:47Z")

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By now, everyone’s probably seen the [pictures](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=2&u=/ap/20031215/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saddam_interrogation_10) of Saddam Hussein after he was captured, and after he was allowed to clean up a bit. I have a question, and since there may be no factual answer, I’ll ask in this forum.

When the US captured all the Taliban forces and such in Afghanistan, they were forced to shave their heads and beards partly in an effort to break their spirit. Why wasn’t the same done to Hussein? His mustache, I recall reading, is symbolic of machismo in Iraq. Since he was captured in a most unglorious way, why not shave his mustache on him? Wouldn’t that break his spirit even more than it probably is, and make intelligence gathering a bit easier?

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**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177/2 "2003-12-15T20:43:51Z")

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I’d figure that living in a hole in the ground would be enough to break your spirit.

Plus, we wouldn’t be able to make Mario Bros jokes.

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**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177/3 "2003-12-15T20:58:24Z")

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I’d bet he was just shaved so he would be more recognizable to the general public to help convince them it is him.

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**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177/4 "2003-12-15T21:06:51Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by bernse \*  
> \*\*I’d bet he was just shaved so he would be more recognizable to the general public to help convince them it is him. \*\*

I figured that was the case, but after the pictures and video were taken, why not take the mustache, too? Then he’d appear to be just some tired, beaten old man wielding no authority whatsoever. Certainly would deal a blow to his ego.

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**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddams-mustache/219177/5 "2003-12-15T21:39:02Z")

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Who knows? Maybe they still will in time. It’s only been a day.  
I wouldn’t be suprised if they let him keep it though. It’ll serve as a reminder to everyone.