Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basm Öz<strong>et</strong>i 25 MARCH 2002 '. 'J., ,,-,~;. ....;: "W"~~'~~ , ".., ,,::'~'"'~~i~"!~~:':' .... : ':~ TheBu~!a;~ IS f8:ökirlg£Oi so;e 'forrn.~ti~~~qtgenerals to help oust SaddàIn:Hussein. NEWSWEEK has tracked down the top candidate~,.,."''::~;::"!~~~~ They're, all v<strong>et</strong>erélQs9f~~~\' :(~@~,,":.:), "~':"~f few mà '\~,',.',.":".:.~;~>;" :'~:;'"': , T ,'~'::1::::::/;~ ..:.~}~~,:~.'c.;~..~ 75
Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basm Öz<strong>et</strong>i ., RESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH'S DESCRIPTION OF IRAQ, Iran and North Korea as an "axis of evil" was dismissed as macho bluster in many capitals around the world. But insi<strong>de</strong> Iraq, Bush's tough talk has been taken seriously by Saddam Hussein's own Army, judging from the steady stream ofIraqi Army officers who have been switching si<strong>de</strong>s recently. About three weeks ago 36 officers, including a colonel in Saddam's elite special Republican Guard, showed up in neighboring Thrkey, accord- " ing to one former Iraqi general (a State Department source puts the Iraqi officer <strong>de</strong>fection rate at about a half dozen per week). They brought two messages. One was that Saddam, fearing disloyalty, has been executing officers in his supposedly loyal Republican Guard. The second is "we are ready to revolt," says Fawzi al-Shamari, the tions. In<strong>de</strong>ed, the Jordanians are already former Iraqi Army general who has been stockpiling fuel to prepare for the disrupin contact with the new émigrés. Some tions of war. officers fleeing Iraq may actually be spies, Behind closed doors in Washington, in planted by Saddam. But most seem to be secr<strong>et</strong> diplomatic cables and insi<strong>de</strong> CIA trying to g<strong>et</strong> on the winning si<strong>de</strong>. " safe houses from suburban Virginia to Kur- In Washington last week, Bush signaled distan,the search for solutions-for a plan "more firmly than ever his <strong>de</strong>termination to and a lea<strong>de</strong>r-is on. As the vice presi<strong>de</strong>nt oust Saddam. "He is a problem;' the presi- and the Jordanian king talked over a sump<strong>de</strong>nt said at a press conference. "And we're tuous meal of seared scallops, grilled beef going to <strong>de</strong>al with him." On an eight-dayandberries with mascarpone at the royal tour of Middle Eastern capitals, Vice Presi- palace in Amman, the hard question about <strong>de</strong>nt Dick Cheney was trying to line up sup- overthrowing Saddam was not if, but how port for U.S. intervention in Iraq. Publicly, and when. And just as vexing: who would Arab lea<strong>de</strong>rs raised strong objections. Pri- replace Saddam? According to the knowlvately, at least one key Arab lea<strong>de</strong>r was .edgeable source, Abdullah was contemptumore pliable. A knowledgeable source tells aus of Ahmed Chalabi, "lea<strong>de</strong>r of the Iraqi NEWSWEEKthat King Abdullah of Jordan National Congress, which has the"highest indicated to Cheney that if the Israeli- profile "ofthe exile opposition groups. Ab- Palestinian crisis eased and the United dullah's scorn for Chalabi is wi<strong>de</strong>ly shared States moved swiftlyand <strong>de</strong>cisively against in the United States government. The ele- Saddam, then Jordan woùld raise no objec- gant, London-based former bànker is pop- ular among top civilian ai<strong>de</strong>s at the Defense Department, hut he is wi<strong>de</strong>ly <strong>de</strong>ri<strong>de</strong>d as an ineffectual showboat just ahout everywhere else in the U.S. national-security establishment. At the CIA, State Department and among the uniformed military, specialists are trying to find the proverhial Man on a White Horse, a respected militaryofficer who can ri<strong>de</strong> in, take control and unite Iraq's fractious tribes and religious groups. Mythology is som<strong>et</strong>imes more powerful than history: the last general who successfully r<strong>et</strong>urned from exile to restore his nation to greatness was Charles <strong>de</strong> Gaulle in France-more than 50 years ago. Still, the United States will need some kind of military strongman to foment a coup, or head a rebel army that could work alongsi<strong>de</strong> U.S. forces, or run the Iraqi military after Saddam is gone. There are a number of former high-ranking officers from Saddam's Army who are waiting in the wings and <strong>de</strong>serve to be taken seriously. But interviews with five of the most prominently mentioned Iraqi ex-generals, reached by "NEWSWEEKat their homes in Europe and northern Virginia, raised questions ahout their readiness, willingness and fitness to lead. The good news is that the generals are all very experienced war fighters. The bad" news is the way they fought-so~<strong>et</strong>imes, with chemical weaporis. Nizar al-Khazraji, for instance. has impressive cre<strong>de</strong>ntials: a .) " 76
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