Saddam Hussein capture

Search Hussein, Saddam and eventual capture of the fugitive Iraqi dictator in wake of the US-led invasion of that country, which ousted him from power in 2003

While the US-led forces that invaded Iraq in the spring of 2003 faced few formidable military obstacles from the Iraqi army on their march to Baghdad, the main focus of the campaign, capturing and/or killing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, remained unfinished for months after the war began.

In early 2003, the US government launched Operation Iraqi Freedom against the regime of Saddam Hussein, the dictatorial president of Iraq. In a radio address delivered on March 22, 2003, President George W. Bush clarified the purpose of the mission: to remove the weapons of mass destruction allegedly in Hussein’s possession, to end Hussein’s alleged support of al-Qaeda, and to remove Hussein from power and thereby liberate the Iraqi people. The initial air raids that destroyed crucial parts of Iraqi army logistics at the outset of the war also targeted Saddam Hussein and his sons and top lieutenants, Qusay and Uday Hussein. While these initial strikes were reported to have nearly struck the Iraqi president and several of his top aides on several occasions, these reports were ultimately proved to be unfounded.

Hussein remained a constant presence on Iraqi television in the hours leading up to the invasion, expressing confidence in his forces, most notably his elite Republican Guard. Upon the arrival of US forces in Baghdad, extensive searches of the former dictator’s elaborate array of properties in and around Bagdad by invasion forces yielded few clues regarding his whereabouts. Hussein’s continued elusion of coalition forces in the weeks following the invasion would become major problem for US generals who believed that his continued perseverance led to the possibility, however scant, of an eventual return to political or military power, which was potentially reducing support for US forces in the eyes of Iraqis who still feared the reach of Hussein’s power. Coalition leaders also believed that Hussein’s continued evasion was significantly contributing to the guerilla-style uprising encountered by invasion forces throughout the country, particularly in cities like Tikrit, which had been traditionally loyal to Hussein’s regime.

In July 2003, a six-hour firefight between combatants and US Special Forces in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul resulted in the death of both of Saddam Hussein’s fugitive sons. Two $15-million dollar rewards were given to anonymous sources in exchange for the information that lead to their whereabouts. The administration of President George W. Bush remained equally anxious to capture and or kill Hussein, particularly because, in the weeks following the invasion, the massive stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons that had been used to justify the invasion had yet to be found.

Fugitive Status

Hussein would evade authorities for several more months after the death of his sons. In interrogations following his arrest, Hussein would describe to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation how he eluded capture by traveling in borrowed vehicles and without the protective detail of aides that were constantly by his side during his time in power. US and Iraqi opposition forces were often under the belief that Hussein utilized decoys of himself during his escape and during his time in power, but Hussein himself refuted this assertion.

It is believed that Hussein spent his time as a fugitive in as many as thirty rudimentary hiding places throughout Iraq, many that comprised little more than a single room and rudimentary kitchen. According to a report in the New York Times following Hussein’s arrest and detention, US military authorities claimed that Hussein’s numerous hideouts may have been accessed by small boats via the Tigris River.

Capture

Nearly three months after the fall of Bagdad, following the interrogations of Hussein’s extended family members and those with tribal connections to the former regime by US-led occupation forces, coalition intelligence began to center in on the dictator’s location. On December 13, 2003, a contingent of US soldiers found Hussein on a remote farm outside of the city of Tikrit. The former dictator was found in a crude underground bunker armed with a pistol and surrounded by meager supplies. He did not resist, nor were any members of the US military injured in his capture. DNA tests conducted by US forces confirmed his identity. Hussein’s disheveled physical appearance at the time of his capture came as a profound shock to the Iraqi people who for decades had seen him as a decorated military leader.

Hussein would spend over a year in the custody of US forces before he was allowed to face trial for crimes against humanity, which was conducted by the new Iraqi government in June 2005. The interrogation of Saddam Hussein shed light on numerous questions still held by both the US military and the American people. The former dictator stated that he was no longer in possession of weapons of mass destruction or the capability to produce such weapons prior to the invasion, and that the stockpile destroyed by US weapons inspectors prior to the US invasion had in fact been the last of his army’s supply. Hussein also denied any affiliation, contact, or cooperation with al-Qaeda terrorist forces or their leader, Osama Bin Laden, whom he considered to be a religious fanatic. Hussein also remained unapologetic about the numerous atrocities he committed throughout his time in power. According to George Piro, the FBI’s lead interrogator, Hussein deemed his 1988 use of chemical weapons against Kurdish Iraqis in the northern part of Iraq as “necessary.” Hussein also made known his desire to eventually rebuild his chemical weapons program had the US invasion never occurred.

Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity at Iraq’s High Tribunal on November 5, 2006. Though his preference was to die by firing squad, Hussein was sentenced to execution by hanging. While the majority of Iraqis rejoiced in the news of his death sentence, those who remained loyal to Hussein felt the verdict was the result of pressure by US military forces.

Impact

While the capture of Saddam Hussein was crucial to maintain the already tenuous domestic and international support for the US-led invasion of Iraq, it served for generations of Iraqis as a moment of transcendence for their country. While the United States and allied global coalition forces ultimately failed to find any of the massive stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction that had been the precursor for war, the second major reason for the invasion, ousting Hussein and liberating the Iraqi people from his tyrannical regime would be one of the Iraq War’s few lasting successes.

Bibliography

Bennett, Brian. “Dispatch: Inside the Hunt for Saddam.” Time. Time Inc., 28 July 2003. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Offers an account of the ongoing effort to track down and capture Saddam Hussein.

Borger, Julian, and Gary Younge. “Dead: The Sons of Saddam.” Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd., 23 July 2003. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Announces the deaths of Qusay and Uday Hussein.

CBS News. “Interrogator Shares Saddam’s Confessions.” 60 Minutes. CBS Interactive Inc., 11 Feb. 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. Discusses the interrogation of Hussein by FBI agent George Piro during the former dictator’s confinement.

MacFarquhar, Neil. “Saddam Hussein, Defiant Dictator who Ruled Iraq with Violence and Fear, Dies.” New York Times. New York Times Co., 30 Dec. 2006. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Describes the life, regime, and execution of the deposed Iraqi president.

Sachs, Susan and Kirk Semple. “Ex-Leader, Found Hiding in Hole, Is Detained Without a Fight.” New York Times. New York Times Co., 14 Dec. 2003. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. Offers an account of the mission that led to the capture of Saddam Hussein.