Bush Greets Saddam Capture as 'Enchanting Day'
Sun Dec 14,10:32 AM ET
By Adam Entous
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a major coup for his beleaguered Iraq (news - web sites) campaign, President Bush (news - web sites) on Sunday reveled in the capture of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) as an "enchanting day" for the Iraqi people and final proof their long-time leader was gone.
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White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters Bush was calling world leaders, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), and would speak to the American people from the White House at noon.
But Bush aides cautioned that the dramatic military operation that netted Saddam after a massive manhunt probably would not end the guerrilla insurgency against the U.S. occupation.
"The Iraqi people can finally be assured that Saddam Hussein will not be coming back. They can see it for themselves," McClellan told reporters.
Bush was informed just before dawn on Sunday that U.S. troops had captured the ousted Iraqi dictator near his home town of Tikrit.
"The message to the Iraqi people is that the blanket of fear is beginning to lift," a senior White House official said.
Capturing Saddam represents a major victory for the president, who is seeking reelection next year, and could boost his standing in the polls.
But the official cautioned: "There are unfortunately still people in Iraq who have no future because their loyalties are to Saddam. We expect they will continue to fight to the death."
More than 300 U.S. soldiers have been killed in action since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in March to oust Saddam -- nearly 200 of them in guerrilla attacks since Bush declared major combat over on May 1.
"ENCHANTING DAY"
Bush canceled his trip to church on Sunday. Aides attributed the decision to the heavy overnight snow blanketing the nation's capital rather than to the surprise news of Saddam's capture.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was the first to deliver the news to the president on at around 3:15 a.m. EST (0815 GMT) on Saturday while he was at the presidential retreat of Camp David.
"That is good news," Bush said in response according to his spokesman.
While the military was confident, at that stage both Bush and Rumsfeld were concerned that it could be one of Saddam's body doubles, McClellan told reporters.
Bush informed Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites).
Bush, who returned on Saturday night to the White House, received final confirmation of Saddam's capture from Rice shortly after 5 a.m. (1000 GMT) Sunday.
Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) immediately began reaching out to key U.S. allies.
In addition to Blair, Bush called Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Bush told him: "what an enchanting day, a day of relief this is for the Iraqi people."
The invasion of Iraq failed to produce weapons of mass destruction, Bush's main justification for going to war, and triggered a bloody guerrilla insurgency.
While clearly elated, White House officials sought to temper their enthusiasm.
After Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay, were killed in a gunbattle with American troops in July, violence against U.S. forces increased rather than decreased as the White House had hoped.
U.S. officials have also said al Qaeda has been active against U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) remains at large and is believed to be plotting new attacks. |
