MIS' INFORMATION CHIEF 'GONE'
Discussion
The head of Iraq's press centre appears to have fled the centre of Baghdad and there has been no sign of his infamous information minister Mohammed Aaeed al-Sahaf, reports Sky's David Chater from the capital.
"They seem to have flown the coop," he said. "About three hours ago I saw the director of the press centre heading north in a car with some aides. There's been no sign of the Information Minister."
Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf has made his own headlines during almost three weeks of war with his smiling denials of the Coalition advance.
As US tanks rumbled in to Saddam's main Baghdad palace, al-Sahhaf claimed they were not even in the city. A day later he appeared to be almost be grinning as he insisted US forces were on the verge of surrendering.
Such comments have prompted some western newspapers to dub al-Sahhaf the Disinformation Minister, a man who puts even the shadowy spindoctors of Western politics to shame.
It would be easy to ridicule him, but he appeared to be gaining a growing army of fans around the world. One woman told a British radio phone-in she found him "sexy".
Full story here
'Dubbed Comical Ali by some British newspapers, the Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf has become a cult figure because of his colourful language and wild claims.
With a grinning face and wild gesticulations, he is the man charged with giving the Iraqi side of the story.
Here are a selection of some of his quotes:
"We will push those crooks, those mercenaries back into the swamp" - Al-Sahhaf makes his debut as the Coalition launches its first bombing raids.
On an air attack on Najaf, he said: "What they say about a breakthrough [in Najaf] is completely an illusion. They are sending their warplanes to fly very low in order to have vibrations on these sacred places . . . they are trying to crack the buildings by flying low over them."
Early in the campaign, al-Sahhaf accused the Allies of booby-trapping pencils.
more of the best of comical Ali
>>> Edited by mrs fish on Thursday 10th April 09:40
"They seem to have flown the coop," he said. "About three hours ago I saw the director of the press centre heading north in a car with some aides. There's been no sign of the Information Minister."
Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf has made his own headlines during almost three weeks of war with his smiling denials of the Coalition advance.
As US tanks rumbled in to Saddam's main Baghdad palace, al-Sahhaf claimed they were not even in the city. A day later he appeared to be almost be grinning as he insisted US forces were on the verge of surrendering.
Such comments have prompted some western newspapers to dub al-Sahhaf the Disinformation Minister, a man who puts even the shadowy spindoctors of Western politics to shame.
It would be easy to ridicule him, but he appeared to be gaining a growing army of fans around the world. One woman told a British radio phone-in she found him "sexy".
Full story here
'Dubbed Comical Ali by some British newspapers, the Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf has become a cult figure because of his colourful language and wild claims.
With a grinning face and wild gesticulations, he is the man charged with giving the Iraqi side of the story.
Here are a selection of some of his quotes:
"We will push those crooks, those mercenaries back into the swamp" - Al-Sahhaf makes his debut as the Coalition launches its first bombing raids.
On an air attack on Najaf, he said: "What they say about a breakthrough [in Najaf] is completely an illusion. They are sending their warplanes to fly very low in order to have vibrations on these sacred places . . . they are trying to crack the buildings by flying low over them."
Early in the campaign, al-Sahhaf accused the Allies of booby-trapping pencils.
more of the best of comical Ali
>>> Edited by mrs fish on Thursday 10th April 09:40
The yanks are behind you! 
deltaf said: I think youre forgetting something.
1) Hes a peice of the saddam terror regime.
2) He was responsible for showing those POW's on tv, and who now are missing, presumed murdered.
Still want to reward him?
maybe I am getting the 2 mixed up. Chemical Ali was the arsehole who was Saddams cousin and killed by bombing recently. Responsible for chemical gassing of the kurds etc?
I thought we were talking about the information minister - being the chap with glasses who says "there are no americans in bagdad" when the stars and stripes are waved behind him, everyone is driving cheverolets and shouting "have a nice day"
I thought his role was simply as spokesman and he held little weight in terms of the war.
If you are correct re the POWs though Deltaf, then he deserves to suffer the same poor fate as they did. only slower and involving kebab skewers
Shnozz - the information minister was formerly the Foreign affairs minister IIRC...
EDIT - Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf is his name...
From the BBC... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2927031.stm
>> Edited by Podie on Thursday 10th April 10:39
EDIT - Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf is his name...
From the BBC... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2927031.stm
Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf has become a familiar face in homes around the world since the start of the war.
As information minister, he is the regime's mouthpiece, called on to give an upbeat assessment of events at the same time the world's media shows the noose tightening around Baghdad.
However, the man some would call Saddam Hussein's optimist is not considered to be one of his closest allies.
A Shia Muslim, Mr Sahhaf is an outsider in the Sunni-dominated government that has been in power since 1968.
He is one of the few senior Iraqi officials not to come from the area around Saddam Hussein's hometown, Tikrit.
Born in Hilla, near Karbala, south of Baghdad, Mr Sahhaf's rise to a senior government position came relatively late in his career.
After studying journalism at university, he planned to become an English teacher, but gave that up when he joined the Baath Party in 1963.
A spell as head of Iraqi broadcasting was followed by stints as ambassador to Burma, Sweden and the UN.
He was made foreign minister in 1992, a post he held until 2001, and which spanned the difficult years of post-Gulf War UN sanctions and the ousting of UN weapons inspectors in 1998.
According to Haidar Ahmad of the opposition Iraqi National Congress, Mr Sahhaf was disliked for his opportunism and gained a reputation as a party lackey.
In his latter years as foreign minister, Mr Sahhaf came in for considerable criticism and was often compared unfavourably to his predecessor, current Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.
Speculation
Saudi Arabia's Al-Watan newspaper quotes an unnamed high-ranking Iraqi as saying: "Sahhaf's performance as the country's top diplomat was not nearly as good as that of Tariq Aziz."
The London-based Al-Quds newspaper said: "He often made speeches that would have been more appropriate for a defence minister or a police commissioner."
At an Arab summit shortly before his removal as foreign minister, there were press comments that he "did not appear to be authorised to make decisions on the spot".
Much speculation surrounded Mr Sahhaf's dismissal as foreign minister in April 2001.
Some observers said that Saddam Hussein's son Uday forced him out after blaming the Iraqi delegation at the summit for failing to secure a joint Arab stand against UN sanctions.
His appointment as information minister gave him an opportunity to exploit his journalistic credentials, something he has been doing with apparently increasing relish since the start of hostilities.
There have been suggestions his regular appearances show he is an outsider, considered more expendable than other senior regime officials.
Whatever the truth, the eyes of the world focus daily on Mr Sahhaf, often finding his assertions increasingly at odds with the apparent reality around him.
>> Edited by Podie on Thursday 10th April 10:39
Apparently he's been flown to London where he will be taking over shortly from Alistair Campbell. Sources close to Downing Street have said that a little training is needed to ensure that he is "fully able to embellish Government policy in a satisfactory manner". Apparently he doesn't lie with quite enough conviction yet for BLiar and the boys.
C'mon guys get a grip :-) I know it was comical what the Iraqi Information Minister was saying, but think about it...
If he'd spoken the truth, he'd most probably have been shot, and replaced within minutes.
The difference between "COMical Ali" and Alistair Campbell, is that the Iraqi had a gun to his head when he spouted out all those lies, no excuse for Tonies Cronies.
Paul
If he'd spoken the truth, he'd most probably have been shot, and replaced within minutes.
The difference between "COMical Ali" and Alistair Campbell, is that the Iraqi had a gun to his head when he spouted out all those lies, no excuse for Tonies Cronies.
Paul
Superb (ROTFLMAO superb) article about Mohammed here, for one day only:
www.somethingawful.com/
Probably the finest humour website on the worldwideinternetweb apart from fffnh.com, eh, CarZ?
Enjoy
www.somethingawful.com/
Probably the finest humour website on the worldwideinternetweb apart from fffnh.com, eh, CarZ?
Enjoy
Or am I giving him to much credit.
CarZee said:There's an uncanny likeness between you and him, Shnozz..
Podie said: Shnozz - the information minister was formerly the Foreign affairs minister IIRC...
EDIT - Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf is his name...
>> Edited by CarZee (moderator) on Thursday 10th April 12:13
What the hell is Borak (Ali G) doing on a picture behind him?
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