Saddam's daughter: I want to go to Iraq

June 13, 2004 8:21 AM

Saddam's daughter: I want to go to Iraq "...My life is a series of collapses," Raghad Saddam Hussein said in an interview in Friday's edition of Sayidaty magazine. "If age is measured by anguish and sadness, I would have been 80 today."...
posted by Postroad (6 comments total)

How tragic. Poor woman. I feel almost as sorry for her as for poor, persecuated Leona Helmsley.
posted by kablam at 9:05 AM on June 13, 2004

Rastafari's father's son: .....I want to go to Tahiti. oh, well........who cares???!...(If you care, please send funds to....)
posted by Rastafari at 10:33 AM on June 13, 2004

From Kablam's link:

Banan [Raghad's daughter], for example, points out photographs of her Uncle Uday and stands up for her grandfather, even though Saddam ordered the death of her father, Hussein Kamel, and Uday apparently carried out the order.

Saddam sure managed to fuck his family up good. And they don't seem to be making an effort to straighten themselves out. They're talking about their rights to the fortune Saddam amassed through corruption, claiming he shouldn't be in prison, and generally trying to play the sympathy card.

Fortunately it won't work.
posted by orange swan at 12:13 PM on June 13, 2004

Also from Kablam's link:

Although Saddam is known to have secreted millions of dollars in bank accounts in neighbouring countries, including Jordan, before the war, the bill for Raghad's extravagant life in Amman is being footed by her hosts - to the irritation of many Jordanians, and the anger of Iraqi exiles.

What on earth is Jordan getting out of spending good money on keeping the Mesdemoiselles Saddam in the luxury to which they are accustomed? Is it looking forward to a Restoration and hoping to play Tony Blair to the Second Coming of Saddam?
posted by languagehat at 2:08 PM on June 13, 2004

it is really quite simple i think, languagehat. the jordanian monarchy is painfully insecure - given they sit on top of a country with nearly 80% palestinian population. They haven't had an intifada since the father of the present king resolved his peace negotiations by killing massive amounts of palestinians in one month back in 1971 (black september) but they know that the moment might come when they will have to run, and fast (if Israel stops lending it its support).
Therefore, it is only natural for the Hashemite dynasty to do the same for the rulers of the neighboring country as what they suspect they themselves might need from someone else in the region.
posted by bokononito at 3:10 PM on June 13, 2004

"Sergei Khrushchev is the son of the infamous Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. In a twist of irony, he became an American citizen in 1999 and where he currently serves as a professor on issues relating to post-Soviet Russia."

perhaps she could do a speaking tour and get 15k a pop like Serge....no? Why do you all think this is terrible or bad, because she is saddams daughter? What about the concept of charity and compassion with nice digs and a good shopping per diem. maybe she cannot get her hands on the money.

"I am sorry that Americans are being killed in Iraq, but they invaded our country and that is unfortunately the result," said Raghad.

"But you are an American and I am an Iraqi, and I believe that if our peoples can sit down and get to know each other, then things could be worked out."

hey, she is willing to forgive. wow. and a getting-to know- you Hallmark moment.

what could anyone else ask or want.
posted by clavdivs at 4:30 PM on June 13, 2004