Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf: his next job, standup comedian?

korn469 · April 7, 2003, 21:44

Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf Iraq's Minister of Information, this guy really cracks me up! I love how he manages to seem upbeat and easy going even as everything crumbles around him. He's either brave or stupid to be giving press conferences on the street while we're raiding bahgdad. Here is one of his funniest quotes from today

The soldiers of Saddam Hussein have given them a lesson they will never forget!

if he does't get killed, think he has a shot of not being charged as a war criminal?

GePap · April 7, 2003, 21:46

Well, has he actually commited any war crimes? just being part of the government isn't enough to get you charged.

well, he got his 15 miniytes of fame. And way better than the Taliban guy; better outfit too.

spiritof1202 · April 7, 2003, 21:46

I'd keep him, just to have him repeat his statements week after week on SNL

DinoDoc · April 7, 2003, 21:59

He'd have to learn English first but he might have a future in comedy. You're the second person I've heard who has said that he had them in stitches.

Ted Striker · April 7, 2003, 22:27

avatar material

mindseye · April 7, 2003, 22:37

I love him! I think he's doing a masterful job!

Can you imagine a more difficult PR position? Enemy tanks are rolling through the streets of your capital, and your job is to appear on the entire planet's television and put the best face possible on it.

Yes, some of the claims are hilariously over-the-top ("There are no villians within 100 miles of Baghdad!"), but he delivers them with such wry panache.

I hope there is a place for him in the US media after the dust settles. At the very least, he could have a new career as a "talking head" expert for network news commentary.

Boris Godunov · April 7, 2003, 22:40

Quote:

Originally posted by GePap
Well, has he actually commited any war crimes? just being part of the government isn't enough to get you charged.

Tell that to Albert Speer (the real one).

Asher · April 7, 2003, 22:47

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc
He'd have to learn English first but he might have a future in comedy. You're the second person I've heard who has said that he had them in stitches.

He can speak ~~pretty good English~~ English fairly well.

[Edit: Pre-emptive grammar-nazi strike, seeing as Boris posted in this thread.]

ravagon · April 7, 2003, 22:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

Tell that to Albert Speer (the real one).

I'd tend to think that designing places like Chelmno, Treblinka (and Auschwitz?) may have had some influence here...
He was also a major voice in the push to use allied POW's and conquered civilians in the slave-labour batallions IIRC.

Mohammed may also have an 'unsavoury' past, as might most of Saddams loyal henchmen. That said though, his tirades on Iraqi TV alone shouldn't be enough to warrant a war crimes tribunal.

MichaeltheGreat · April 7, 2003, 22:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov

Tell that to Albert Speer (the real one).

Albert Speer oversaw a huge forced labor system.

I think Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf would be a great actor for every cheesy movie (and you know there'll be millions) with a mid-east dictator or some similar bad guy role.

Taha Yassin Ramadan would also be great, but he has t end up against a wall, if he doesn't end up under one.

Alexander's Horse · April 7, 2003, 23:20

An avatar change was in order

Boris Godunov · April 7, 2003, 23:24

Hmm, thought Speer had only designed monumental stuff...are you sure he designed camps? I thought that was one of the reasons he wasn't executed, that he had no (proven) hand in those...

Ted Striker · April 7, 2003, 23:25

I love that serious, determined look on his face!!!

Ned · April 7, 2003, 23:44

I think he would be a good press spokesman for any of the pro-Saddam democrats running for president.

ravagon · April 7, 2003, 23:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Hmm, thought Speer had only designed monumental stuff...are you sure he designed camps? I thought that was one of the reasons he wasn't executed, that he had no (proven) hand in those...

I think so. 'Design' may not be such a good word, although a book I was reading a few weeks ago used it. Conceived, envisioned, thought up, may be better.
He has been described as 'instrumental' in several texts.

LOL@AH

notyoueither · April 7, 2003, 23:56

Quote:

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
Hmm, thought Speer had only designed monumental stuff...are you sure he designed camps? I thought that was one of the reasons he wasn't executed, that he had no (proven) hand in those...

I don't think they tied him too closely with the camps. He lived, afterall.

Slave labour was used extensively though. That fell under him.

Boris Godunov · April 8, 2003, 00:03

Quote:

Originally posted by ravagon

I think so. 'Design' may not be such a good word, although a book I was reading a few weeks ago used it. Conceived, envisioned, thought up, may be better.
He has been described as 'instrumental' in several texts.

Hmm, I would have to dispute this. Speer was never charged on anything of the kind--he was only charged for his role in using slave labor in the factories as Minister of Armaments. According to what I've read, Speer argued against the concentration camps with Himmler, saying they were a waste of labor. I can't find anything saying he had a part in designing them, and I'm pretty sure they were the brainchild of Himmler and Eichmann.

Speer did try to claim that his argument with Himmler was because he was trying to save lives, but I'm not sure how much stock to put in that claim. He likely was more interested in the labor. At the end of the war, Speer was more or less openly against Hitler, refusing orders to destroy factories and depots that were about to fall into Allied hands. Not that it mattered much, at that point.

VJ · April 8, 2003, 00:08

Quote:

and your job is to appear on the entire planet's television and put the best face possible on it.

I've never seen nor heard of this guy, neither have the people I know in real life.

Ted Striker · April 8, 2003, 00:13

Stop playing SMAC so much.

Pekka · April 8, 2003, 00:18

Tuome, well he has invaded our tv too..

But he is good, if we didn't know any better, and if he wasn't Iraqi military personel... he'd be quite convincing. If he were given easier position, he'd be quite impressive.

notyoueither · April 8, 2003, 00:36

If it weren't for the explosions in the background when he speaks, maybe we'd believe that he was at Palm Beach and had just led the landings in the counter-attack.

SNL writers owe me a cut.

MichaeltheGreat · April 8, 2003, 00:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Ned
I think he would be a good press spokesman for any of the pro-Saddam democrats running for president.

He'd be unemployed, since there aren't any of those.

He'd actually be a much better spokesman for the "Fred & Ethel" "everyone wants to be an American" jingoistic crowd who goose-steps with enthusiasm at swinging the US national díck at any third world target of convenience.

You know, like the "Grenada in '83, Nicaragua in '84" Orange County yuppie crowd.

Ned · April 8, 2003, 00:55

Why of course MTG!

But I still think he would be more comfortable among those who supported Saddam so "forcefully" in the past months, including all those "violent" pro-Saddam peace demonstrators.

red_mustard · April 8, 2003, 00:57

He's a damn good liar. Today, you could all but see coalition tanks a half mile away near the al-rasheed where the tour was given. Tommorrow, I hope they crash his party.

"There are no troops in baghdad. Because we have renamed the city of baghdad to something else, and move the orignal city name to a city near Tikrit"

*Tanks surround him*

Ted Striker · April 8, 2003, 01:02

Orange County is boring

one big strip mall

Ned · April 8, 2003, 01:05

Actually, he has a great future on al Jazeera or any Russian news outlet.

Alexander's Horse · April 8, 2003, 01:11

I'd like to see him give his spiel with 2 Marines standing behind him.

"We have completely repelled the invaders except for these 2 standing behind me, whom I have personally captured"

DinoDoc · April 8, 2003, 01:21

I could see him doing that as they drag him away.

notyoueither · April 8, 2003, 01:26

That'll be his opening gambit with the interrogators.

Alexander's Horse · April 8, 2003, 01:28

its gotta happen. He'll be dragged away by Marines from his last press conference.

The other alternative is he'll be like Lord Haw Haw in WWII - pissed as a newt as he goes off air.