Residents pray near the tomb of executed former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Awja, December 3, 2008. Credit: Reuters/Sabah al-Bazee
i24 News: Saddam Hussein's tomb reportedly destroyed in Iraq fighting
Army says coalition raids needed in Tikrit but 'no air support' from foreign allies had yet been provided
The tomb of Iraq’s late dictator Saddam Hussein was destroyed in heavy clashes between militants from the Islamic State group and Iraqi forces in a fight for control of the city of Tikrit, the Associated Press reported late Sunday.
Saddam’s body has been kept in the mausoleum in his birthplace, Ouja, since 2007. Iraqi media reported last year that Saddam’s body was removed by loyalists amid fears that it would be disturbed in the fighting. The body’s location is not known.
Update: Saddam's tomb suffers extensive damage in Iraq fighting -- AP
WNU Editor: His body was removed last year ... Saddam's allies moved his corpse, fearful Shi'ite militias would harm it: tribal leader (Reuters) .... but his mausoleum appears to have been destroyed in the past few days.
10 comments:
James .... you have just put a tear in my eye. In the mid-1980s when I was in China .... I had this song, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, U2, etc. on my Walkman .... took what passes for a scooter/motorcycle in China .... and hit the road between Quanzhou and Xiaman by myself (with the usual Chinese minders behind me). Sighhh .... the stares that I got from the locals .... yup .... that was a different and unique time. And back home .... the FO .... when they heard what I was doing in my spare time .... LOL .... that was even more priceless. :)
But back to the music .... hearing something like Gimme Shelter by the Stones with the Chinese countryside as your backdrop .... James .... trust me on this one .... the music FEELS completely different.
Extremely rare footage of WNU in China (courtesy of Chinese security service) with an odd looking minder for escort.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAxYA381dB8
James ... I am crying buckets. :)
I know the road between quanzhou n xiamen very well, drove it a few weeks ago. Has changed alot since then. May i ask what were you doing in this particular area of China?
I am sure that it has changed a lot since the 1980s. At that time it was only two lanes .... I am sure it is no longer that.
Establishing commercial ties ... oolong tea company, granite, manufacturing, etc..
Anon .... you motivated me to look and try to find a picture of me standing beside this guy at Quanzhou http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/60225395.jpg
The memories .... it has been a long time since I was last there.
Anonymous. If you know the area maybe you can help me. Please go to this link (it is a picture of me at Quanzhou). http://warnewsupdates.blogspot.ca/2014/03/wnu-in-china-july-1988.html
I am trying to remember what was special about this place/landmark. If you know, your input will be appreciated.
As to my picture .... that is a very young me .... and wow .... do I look silly .... and thank God I was not wearing the hat when the pic was taken.
As I said .... the memories. :)
Re: The picture above.
It is rumored that after your visit the locals burned down the building in the background, salted the earth, and hunted down and killed anyone wearing shorts and that color socks.
Ok cool... yeah the first photo is the statue of Laozi I think... kinda famous landmark of the city.
Have you seen the twin stone pagodas?
Not sure of the second photo, the city has alot of various temple, it looks like it is up one of the mountains. Everything in the city district has been developed by now so it probably wouldn't have any vegetation around it.
Oolong tea... nice probably the best tea in my opinion. The incense and vinegar is famous from that region as well.
Back in those days, I think everyone rode pushbikes, I actually met a guy that was famous in the city for owning the first motorbike in the city, now they are illegal actually.
Manufacturing would likely be in Jinjiang, Granite in Shuitouzhen, I now some of the big businesses in this region, looking to start a company there actually. Shoes are big as well, they used to sell alot to Russia until the ccy dived late last year. Yarn and metallic yarn as well. It is actually a nice part of China, the dialect they speak there is 'proper mandarin' as in it is closely related to the Tang dynasty Mandarin.
If you head back that way you should check out a pub called The Brickyard owned by a Canadian guy. They just started brewing their own beer this week.
Regarding Iraq, Iran/Iraq are saying they are allowing the civilians to leave, which is just a cover. I think the militias and Iran have a bit of a manpower issue. I heard some rumours of 4000 deaths on the militia side so far, not sure if accurate. They will still take Tikrit but Mosul is a much larger bloody nut to crack... IS will be around for a while...
Anonymous .... I was at the top of the twin stone pagodas. The pictures I took are back in Moscow .... I will post them in the future. You can see what Quanzhou looked like in the 1980s. And yes .... everyone had push-bikes, only the elite in the government had cars/vans/motorbikes. I always teased my government hosts that their cars were Toyota (Japanese) .... they never liked me saying that. :)
Best experience I ever had in my life was in a middle of the Oolong tea company's tea fields .... it was during monsoon season and the smell of the tea in the air was just incredible. And the rain .... when it came down it was warm and refreshing (no acid rain then). I also enjoyed taking walks in the city at the end of the day .... being white everyone was always looking at me .... made me feel special. I will never forget what the mayor told me at the time when I said what happens if I get lost .... his answer .... don't worry, we will find you fast. :)
It was magical then. Today .... modernization and westernization is the rule.
James .... I had to wear those ridiculous socks because my Chinese hosts gave me running shoes that were rubbing the skin on my ankles in a bad way. The comments that I have received over the years because of those socks have scarred me forever. :)
Post a Comment