Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf

Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf (born 1940) is a former Iraqi politician. He served as ambassador to several countries and, during the US-led invasion in 2003, as state information minister. His reports of disastrous US defeats during the invasion were ridiculed internationally, earning him the nickname of "Baghdad Bob." Sourced They [US soldiers] started to commit suicide on the Baghdad walls. We will encourage them to double their suicide attempts. BBC Monitoring (7 April 2003) "Iraqi information minister denies presence of US forces in Baghdad" (as US forces reported entering the center of Baghdad) I now inform you that you are too far from reality. Statement to John Burns of The New York Times among his last words to western reporters before going on administrative leave (9 April 2003), as quoted in Politics and Propaganda : Weapons of Mass Seduction (2004) by Nicholas J. O'Shaughnessy, p. 233 Lying is forbidden in Iraq. President Saddam Hussein will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honour and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts. As quoted in Baghdad or Bust : The Inside Story of Gulf War 2 (2003) by Mike Ryan, p. 168 The American press is all about lies! All they tell is lies, lies and more lies! As quoted in A Gigantic Mistake (2004) by Mickey Z, p. 171 The information was correct but the interpretations were not. I did my duty up to the last minute. New York Times (12 July 2003) "AFTER THE WAR; Hussein's Perennial Optimist Reappears" Quotes about al-Sahhaf He's my man. He was great. Somebody accused us of hiring him and putting him there. He was a classic. George W. Bush, in an NBC interview (24 April 2003) In an age of spin, al-Sahaf offers feeling and authenticity. His message is consistent — unshakeable, in fact, no matter the evidence — but he commands daily attention by his on-the-spot, invective-rich variations on the theme. His lunatic counterfactual art is more appealing than the banal awfulness of the Reliable Sources. He is a Method actor in a production that will close in a couple of days. He stands superior to truth. Jean-Pierre McGarrigle at Welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com External links Profile of Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf (BBC News) Memorable Quotes from the Iraqi Information Minister Video compilation of press conferences Category:Muslims from Iraq Category:Politicians from Iraq Category:Living people Category:Ambassadors Category:Foreign ministers Category:Ba'athist politicians