Good Saddam Story

[Annie]

http://ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=64178

Excerpts:

EXCLUSIVE: Local Man Tells Of Helping Capture Saddam
St. Louis area man who helped troops capture Saddam.By Deanne Lane

(KSDK) -- It's a world famous photograph, showing a man wearing military camouflage holding Saddam Hussein down on the ground. What few people knew, until now, that man lives in the St. Louis area....

Samir worked with the military as an interpreter. He was at the remote farm on December 13th, when U.S. forces discovered a secret hiding place. The next few minutes will feel like a lifetime for Samir.

"We saw the hole for the bunker but it hard to believe someone live in that hole. It was really small," Samir remembers. "They shot in there and he started yelling, "Don't shoot, don't shoot, don't kill me.'" So I had to talk to him. I was the translator. I said, 'Just come out.' He kept saying, 'Don't shoot. Don't kill me.'"

In Arabic Samir said he continued to pursuade Saddam to come out. He was about to come face to face with the tyrant who killed his loved ones.
Saddam was the reason he fled Iraq in 1991 and eventually moved to St. Louis.

Samir says, "I was like, 'I got him.'" We all reached him and pulled him out. And we say Saddam Hussein he looks really old. He looks disgusting." There was also anger. "You want to beat the crap out of him. He destroyed millions in Iraq. I'm one. I left my family 13 years ago because of him...."

Saddam couldn't fight back, but he did speak out. "He called me a spy. He called me a traitor. I had to punch him in face. They had to hold me back. I got so angry I almost lost my mind. I didn't know what to do. Choke him to death. That's really not good enough...."

Now, many months later, Samir had another emotional moment in store. He would meet the leader of the free world, when President Bush attended a campaign rally in St. Charles....

During their meeting, Mr. Bush received a photo from Samir, and special beads that Samir's parents gave him for protection. "It's like a blessing. It's important to me and I want you to have it. He tapped me on shoulder and said, 'Great work....'"

 

[UsaPride]

During their meeting, Mr. Bush received a photo from Samir, and special beads that Samir's parents gave him for protection. "It's like a blessing. It's important to me and I want you to have it. He tapped me on shoulder and said, 'Great work....'"

That is so cool!!

 

[Annie]

That is so cool!!

I like 'good news' stories. Too few, seems the media wants to dwell on the negative.

 

[UsaPride]

So true! I like knowing what's going on it just seems like it's ALL bad. That's why I look forward to your "good news" posts!

 

[NightTrain]

Great story.

It's too bad he wasn't able to actually punch Saddam like he wanted to, that would have been immensely satisfying for him.

 

[Annie]

Great story.

It's too bad he wasn't able to actually punch Saddam like he wanted to, that would have been immensely satisfying for him.

Maybe I read wrong, but seems to me he did.

 

[UsaPride]

I had to punch him in face.

Sounds that way, LOL!

 

[NightTrain]

hmm... sounds to me like he was restrained by U.S. troops?

"He called me a spy. He called me a traitor. I had to punch him in face. They had to hold me back."

 

[Annie]

hmm... sounds to me like he was restrained by U.S. troops?

Restrained sounds about right...

 

[UsaPride]

hmm... sounds to me like he was restrained by U.S. troops?

Probably.