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Saddam Hussein in happier days...
George Piro (FBI Agent)
In his last days, he tended a small garden he nurtured with his own hands, and penned prose.
The man in question? Saddam Hussein.
In fact, an FBI agent - George Piro - made some of these startling revelations about the deposed tyrant in an intriguing interview with 60 Minutes on CBS a few weeks ago.
According to Piro, he was assigned the task of interrogating the former Iraq leader, while he was under the custody of the U.S. Government.
The articulate likeable man was chosen because he was Lebanese and fluent in Arabic.
Ultimately, the brass at the intelligence agency, were betting on Hussein warming up to such an individual - at which point - they hoped the deposed leader's thoughts may become unloosed.
The aim was to secure all-important information previously undisclosed.
Allegedly, Saddam never knew his interrogator was an FBI Agent. In fact, Hussein thought Piro was answerable directly to George W. Bush.
From the offset, it was apparent that one of America's top law enforcement agencies, was playing a number of subtle mind games on a multitude of levels during the course of the interrogation process.
For instance, the agent noted that part of the strategy was to place Saddam in a seated position with his back to one wall, while the agent sat with his back against the only door to the cell where he was being housed.
"It was psychological," Piro proudly noted.
In sum, the scheme was hatched to impress upon Saddam that Piro was the one who stood between him and the outside world - in fact - held the keys to his freedom.
The FBI also devised a scheme to literally control Saddam's awareness of "time". For instance, none of the guards with access to Saddam were permitted to wear a timepiece.
In contrast, Piro wore the largest wristwatch they could find.
The scheme was devised to get the idea across to Saddam that his keeper controlled that, too.
A well-thought-out plan - and it worked - according to the agent.
In fact, over time, Saddam let slip a few of his innermost thoughts.
For example, during the course of the "relationship", Saddam showed no remorse about the loss of his sons. But more astounding, was the response he gave when questioned about one of the two who was accused of raping women.
"You can't pick your kids. You get what you get," he is alleged to have sighed.
During the course of the interviews, Saddam admitted that there were "no" weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Apparently, they had been destroyed earlier on, before the U.S. attack.
He noted that he concealed the fact to give the country a sense of security.
At this juncture, Hussein admitted part of the reason he engaged in the deception, was due to the fact he was "afraid of Iran".
Saddam's admission about the lack of weapons of mass destruction appears to support the allegation that Bush's administration clearly "lied" about the existence of said weapons.
When the interviewer asked why Saddam didn't fess up to prevent the U.S. onslaught, Piro alleged that Saddam confessed he didn't think Bush would invade Iraq.
Wrong!
By the way - he didn't like George Jr. - or his father!
He was unapologetic about using chemical warfare on the Kurds, too.
"Necessary," he asserted.
And the reason he invaded Kuwait?
"He was angered by comments a Kuwait Official made about turning Iraq women into ten-dollar prostitutes," said Piro.
Interestingly, Hussein said he wouldn't want to be in the same room with hunted fugitive - Osama Bin Laden - nor did he support the terrorist's actions.
His reason? "You can't trust fanatics."
The former dictator also noted that he found the American political system odd.
For instance, Hussein thought a four-year term in office was not long enough for a politician to get the lay of the land, so-to-speak.
"You're breaking in a new president every four years," he apparently joked.
Of course, this from the man who obtained all his information about the American democratic system, from Hollywood movies he viewed in a private screening room at one of his opulent Palaces.
Did he ever show anger in the presence of his captors?
"Just once, when he was shown footage of his statue being torn down from its pedestal".
On that occassion, Piro noted that Hussein's faced flushed and his eyes filled with hate.
On a humorous note, Piro noted that because Saddam's birthday was not being celebrated by anyone that year (the occasion used to be a National Holiday) he brought Hussein cookies baked by his mother!
When his Ma found out later who ravenously devoured 'em, she smartly slapped her son on the back of the head.
Well, that's the way the cookie crumbles, eh?
Interestingly, when Piro was asked if Saddam was ever tortured, he was quick and to the point.
"The FBI does not torture people".
In view of the recent news reports about the CIA, and allegations of illegal torture on the far reaches of foreign soil, that claim stretches one's credulity.
In fact, shortly after that steadfast pronouncement, Piro's superior at the FBI Headquarters noted on-camera that the Agency was celebrating their 100th Anniversary in 2008.
Ah, suddenly it hit me like a lightning bolt.
Now it all made sense: the pat answers, the rapid-fire responses without hesitation, the lack of footage to support Piro's claims.
I betcha the FBI was simply packaging up a neat and tidy account of things in a deceitful attempt to tie up all the loose ends to their advantage.
In the final analysis, their express aim appears to have been to dispel any doubts about Saddam Hussein.
Was the 60 minutes interview just a clever public relations ploy by the FBI - on the eve of their 100th anniversary - to enhance their image to Americans across the Nation?
I wonder.
