As Mark Twain would say, the rumors of Saddam Hussein's demise have been
greatly exaggerated.
Two months ago, Arab diplomatic and Iraqi opposition sources asserted
that the Iraqi president has been stricken with cancer. They said Saddam was
fighting a losing battle with leukemia and had appointed a panel to take
over Iraq in case he died or was incapacitated.
But Middle East intelligence sources now said these reports were the
product of disinformation. The sources said Saddam does not have cancer and
is not suffering from any life-threatening disease.
The sources confirmed that a delegation of French physicians arrived in
Baghdad earlier this year. But they said the physicians were treating
Saddam's chief aide, Izzet Ibrahim, deputy chief of the Revolutionary
Council.
Ibrahaim, however, remains active. Last week, he visited Damascus in the
highest-level visit by an Iraqi government envoy in 20 years.
The sources said the 63-year-old Saddam has not established a formal
mechanism that
takes into account his death or incapacitation. They said reports that he
formed such a panel and named his younger son, Kusay, as chairman, are
false.
"Saddam is alive and not suffering from anything worse than a man his
age would have," an intelligence source said. "The rumors of cancer was
probably spread by the Americans."
Last month, U.S. defense officials refused to confirm reports of
Saddam's death.
Meanwhile, unrest continues in Iraq. A bomb ripped through the city of
Irbil, killing six people. The attack was attributed to a conflict between
two rival Kurdish groups over control of the area.
