by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 1, 2003
All Rights Reserved.

ecruiting a fresh crop of human hand grenades, Iraq's Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told the foreign press that more than 3,000 Arabs were ready to martyr themselves for Saddam Hussein. Playing on the West's aversion to suicide bombing, Ramadan upped the ante, promising to begin using his secret weapon against U.S. and British forces. "More than half of them, martyrs, are ticking time bombs you will hear talk about them in the days to come," said Ramadan, threatening more bloodletting. "This is what we ask of Arab populations," demonstrating the same callous disregard for human life, seen recently in Southern Iraq by Saddam's Fedayeen militia, liquidating Iraqi civilians unwilling to fight and die for the cause. Calling for Jihad, Saddam thinks that exploiting Islam will enable him to recruit endless streams of suicide bombers to fight coalition forces.

      Delivering Saddam's message on Iraqi TV, his Information Minister Saeed al-Sahhaf said holy war and martyrdom is the best path to paradise. "Therefore, jihad is a duty in confronting them . . . those who are martyred will be rewarded in heaven. Seize the opportunity, my brothers," said al-Sahhaf, convincing bus loads of Arab recruits that there's no higher calling than serving as Saddam's canon fodder. Disgruntled Palestinians have plenty of opportunity to commit suicide, without joining Saddam's Armageddon. Calling last week's car bombing "a symbol of an organization that's starting to get a little bit desperate," Maj. Gen. Gene Renuart viewed the attack as a chink in Saddam's armor. With the Republican Guard taking a beating, Saddam must find new ways of boosting morale, including exploiting Islam or Palestine. Unfortunately for Saddam, recruiting suicide bombers isn't that easy.

      Hats off to Saddam's propaganda machine for continuing to call the shots. Suicide bombing actually lends legitimacy to the cause, demonstrating Iraqis' undying commitment to their fearless leader. But with the Fedayeen militia murdering civilians refusing to fight, it's unlikely that Palestinian suicide bombers will voluntarily sign-up. Even Bin Laden's suicidal automatons require methodical indoctrination before swearing allegiance and volunteering for active suicide duty. While there's no shortage of Islamic extremists, suicide bombers are a different breed, cultivated like Dolly the sheep to serve as obedient explosives. As his regular army wears down, Saddam knows he must rely on guerrilla warfare in the streets of Baghdad. Suicide bombers only induce fear in civilians and have little impact on military targets. Boasting about jihad and suicide bombers signals impending military disaster.

      Middle Eastern rhetoric is replete with fanciful examples of Islamic martyrdom proving, if nothing else, undying loyalty to failed dictators and causes. Saddam's sudden preoccupation with suicide bombing diverts attention from undeniable military failures, whips up fantasies about pan-Arabism and sends an ominous propaganda message to foreign invaders. "Strike them, fight them," said the message from Saddam, read by Iraq's Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf on national TV. "They are aggressors, evil accursed by God. You shall be victorious and they shall be vanquished," using the same kind of Bin Ladenesque speech used to exploit Islamic masses into joining a futile mass movement. Saddam's high-minded speech gets more and more divorced from reality as his troops incur massive casualties and setbacks. Blustery rhetoric stems from an internal crumbling of his command and control.

      Taking jihad to the enemy, Saddam puts himself on the offensive and into the propaganda battle attempting to weaken coalition resolve. Within the psychological battlefield are images of Palestinian suicide bombers wreaking havoc on innocent civilians in pizza parlors and other public places. Taking the battle to America, Saddam can only bark threats of terrorism, especially to New Yorkers still reeling from the effects of Sept. 11. "Fight them everywhere the way you are fighting them today," said Saddam's message. "And don't give them a chance to catch their breath until they declare it and withdraw from the lands of the Muslims, defeated and cursed in this life and the afterlife," giving the impression the dictator is ready to crack. As U.S. Marines steamrolled the Republican Guard's Medina Division, crossed the "red line" and approached Baghdad, the propaganda heated up.

      Bluffing about martyrs and suicide bombers marks the beginning of the end for Saddam's regime. No pan-Arab movement supplies suicide bombers for secular dictators whose aversion to radical Islam stems from his Stalin-like grip on Iraqi society. Whether pleading with suicide bombers to join his failing cause or mowing down innocent civilians, Saddam displays the same ruthless impulses to maintain his power. Most of his neighbors aren't rushing to his rescue, despite Russia's attempt through Syria to sabotage coalition efforts. "I say to this (U.S.) agent: We would have preferred you didn't carry an Arab name and didn't have Arab blood," said Iraq's Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan, lambasting Saudi Foreign Minister Prinice Saud al-Faisal for suggesting that Saddam step aside. With coalition troops knocking at his door, Saddam's grandiose last stand is rapidly approaching.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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