Bush: Evidence Suggests Saddam Hussein is Dead - April 25, 2003

President Bush states that there is evidence suggesting that Saddam Hussein, the long-time dictator of Iraq, is dead. In an interview with NBC, the U.S. President mentioned that one of the American spies in Baghdad, who directed U.S. airstrikes to Saddam's location at the beginning of the war, believes that Saddam has either been killed or at least severely injured. However, according to President Bush, sufficient evidence must be gathered before inspectors can confirm this. Regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, President Bush stated that the U.S. knows Saddam had a program to produce such weapons, but finding them will take time, as Iraqi scientists and others have claimed that Saddam destroyed and dispersed his prohibited weapons, with hundreds of hiding places existing in Iraq. President Bush also expressed his belief that evidence regarding Saddam's connections with terrorists will emerge. In response to a journalist's question about reports of Iran's attempts to influence the political developments in post-war Iraq, President Bush said that Washington has sent a message to Tehran, expecting Iran to allow Iraq to become a peaceful and stable society. President Bush stated that the U.S. has no plans for military operations against Iran but will encourage Iran to cooperate with the help of the rest of the world. The New York Times reported this week that agents of the Tehran regime have entered southern Iraq to try to gain the friendship of Iraqi Shia clerics and advance Iran's interests. Yesterday, Iran's Foreign Minister denied these claims, stating that Iran does not interfere in Iraq's affairs.