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Tom, I saw that story in yesterdays paper and was about to post it. I was going to use the headline "SADDAM TOLD THE TRUTH, once".
A few more details, in the first Gulf war only one Navy pilot was lost, Michael Scott Speicher was shot down in an F-18 by an Iraqi Mig Jan. 17, 1991, 100 miles west of BAgdad. V P Cheney announced his loss, but no search was made then. The Iraqis knew this, but when the war ended and the US asked for the remains, the US gave the wrong coordinates, being south of Bagdad. The Iraqis searched there, but of course Lt. Com. Speicher was not there. Meanwhile it became even more confused when some remains of an A-10 pilot were found and turned over. DNA tests showed it was not Speicher.
The conclusion was that he had been captured alive and was being held a prisoner. Saddam denied this, denied holding any U S pilot after the war, but the U S refused to believe him.
Now one could see this as just an unfortunate mistake, easily colored by our view of Saddam as not just a bad guy, but deceitful and cunning, and a failure of our intelligence. Or you could read into it a deliberate effort by the US to paint Saddam as even worse than he was. I have my own opinion, but the article does not say one way or the other. Nor does it give any details of the fatal air combat.
In any event, after 18 years the remains of "Scott", were found under the sand where he had lain since the crash on a tip from a nomad, and the first U S casualty of the war can now rest in peace back home.
_________________
Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK
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