Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein said in an interview televised Wednesday that his country is preparing to defend itself vigorously against a U.S.-led attack.
"We hope that the attack will not take place. But we are bracing ourselves to meet such an attack. To face it," Saddam told CBS's 60 Minutes II.
Network anchor Dan Rather interviewed Saddam at one of his presidential palaces in Baghdad on Monday. The network has been releasing excerpts of the interview for two days and broadcast most of it on Wednesday.
Saddam interview: Proper, or propaganda?
A sample of your responses:
By interviewing Saddam in an almost worshipful manner, Dan Rather encouraged the dictator to reveal the visions of sugarplums dancing in his head. Start with the notion that he is a democratically elected head of state, add the view that he was not defeated in the Gulf War, and finish with the huge file of actual facts about him in the public domain. Anyone with an IQ greater than his/her body temperature has to see the psychopath lurking behind the "come let us reason together" facade. Can there be a question about what needs to be done?
Donald W.
New York, NY
My main problem with the interview is that Dan did not dig into the links between Saddam and Hamas. From what I can see, these links are a lot stronger than any direct links between Saddam and Al Qaeda. Stop Hamas (by stopping the funding) and you stop the bloodshed in Israel - Palestine. Stop that and Al Qaeda looses momentum due to lack of interest. Kill Usama and Al Qaeda still lives, stop Hamas and Al Qaeda dies. That is the real problem.
Marty
OH
Dan Rather's interview with Saddam Hussein was gutless and frustrating. I think Mr. Rather and CBS were just trying to secure future interviews with Saddam by not offending him. I guess ratings are more important than the truth. We spent the whole broadcast waiting for Mr. Rather to ask a real question. A new journalist with little experience could have asked better questions. I agree it was one big commercial for Saddam Hussein. The "joke" was the interview itself. Mr. Hussein is not stupid that's why he chose Dan Rather. CBS obviously thinks the American public is stupid. I beg them not to waste our time anymore. We are sticking with Fox.
Jeff H.
Naples, FL
The interveiw was totally inappropriate! We now have News Anchors playing statesman with alot of authority and no responsibility. Wonderful!!!! I did not elect Ramsey Clark or Dan Rather to be my spokesperson.
Roland J.
Palm Harbor, FL
I can understand a news organization wanting to report the news from anywhere in the world and on any subject but to do a interview that obviously would be more of a benefit to Saddam Hussein and his image in the Arab world is way beyond what i concider being a responsible news issue. I guess i have lost faith in American news people in general because of the attitude they are reporters first and Americans second or in some cases being a American slips down even farther than second. All news agencies seem to be hell bent on making the United States look bad or in the case of the military they have little or no regard for the safety of our fellow countrymen about to go to war. The story is all that counts to most news people and to hell with the consequences. I am tired of hearing the Amercian people have the right to know when it comes to endangering our service personel's lives. Not too long ago what reporters do today would have been called treason.
I have to say Fox seems to be held in low regard by the other news agencies but all and all you at least try to be fair in your reporting and keep up the good work.
Dwight M.
Glenwood, IA
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