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American Morning

Interview with "TIME" Magazine's Michael Weisskopf

Aired May 26, 2003 - 07:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: His reputation as a ruthless dictator has been well-documented, but it appears that Saddam Hussein's two sons, Uday and Qusay, were even worse.
"TIME" magazine this week has exclusive details about the brothers Hussein and their reign of terror in Iraq. "TIME's" Michael Weisskopf joins us now this morning. He is now in Washington after spending quite a few weeks over there in Iraq and around Baghdad.

Good to see you again, Michael, back stateside.

First off, the main question I have for you is what makes you think this man is still alive, Uday? The word coming out last week that he was trying to negotiate some sort of a deal. You believe that he is alive?

MICHAEL WEISSKOPF, "TIME" MAGAZINE: We've had reports both, Leon, from a domestic servant and also a friend of the family that all three Hussein men survived the two attacks by U.S. bombers. They're operating in an ark between Baghdad, Tikrit to the north, and Ramadi (ph) to the west, and melding into the Iraqi society.

HARRIS: And you have some reason to believe that Saddam is with them?

WEISSKOPF: Yes we do. They have broken into pairs, which is not surprising knowing the friction between the two brothers. Uday, the older of the sons, is operating on his own with aides, and Saddam has Qusay by his side in another location.

HARRIS: You say friction between the two brothers. What is that all about?

WEISSKOPF: They were great rivals, of course, for their father's attention. Saddam was a cold and remote father, but one obviously who attracted great loyalty from his sons. And they disliked each other pretty strongly. Uday suspected his younger brother was trying to marginalize him, and the younger brother was embarrassed by the lifestyle of Uday, the older brother.

And there is a great deal of jealously. Uday was so jealous of his brother that whenever he appeared in the media he threw fits. He was so jealous of his brother's girlfriends, he would bring them in and have sex with them himself, and then use a branding iron to mark them with a horseshoe-shaped "U," of course, "U" being the first letter of his name. HARRIS: Oh, goodness. Are people now over there, Michael -- you spent quite a bit of time over there. Are people now at least somewhat comfortable in talking about these two brothers and about what they did to that country and to other people now that they believe the regime is gone?

WEISSKOPF: This, Leon, was a hard reporting job. It was hard to find people and getting them to talk, primarily because until they see bodies, either in prison or in some type of coffins of the three Husseins, they are afraid they will come back. These were vicious men who terrorized this society in a very personal and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) way.

HARRIS: So, what were people telling you about Qusay, for instance? We understand that he was supposed to be the man in charge of the Republican Guard, the Republican Guard which turned out to be quite a much lesser threat than we had imagined them being going into this whole ordeal.

WEISSKOPF: Yes, and he played a role right at the end in the problems of that military. He was so erratic and impulsive at the end, according to an aide of his. He kept moving the Republican Guard troops into different locations, so that by the time U.S. troops arrived on the doorsteps of Baghdad, they were out of place; thus making it much easier. It helps explain why we marched in there so quickly.

He also was a man who had grave personal difficulties. He was afraid of germs and would never use the same bar of soap twice. When he was kissed by friends and relatives, which is a salutation in a place like Iraq, he'd immediately wash his face. When his children touched his clothing, he'd have aides come to brush off the germs.

HARRIS: Well, considering how evil these two men are at least considered to be by people in Iraq, what makes anyone think that they might actually turn themselves in?

WEISSKOPF: There is -- the only reason anyone would believe that is that they would be able to cut a deal for themselves, and there is no deal, of course. These people rank right up there in the top killers of history, the great abusers of human rights in history. It's just a matter of time until they are rounded up.

HARRIS: All right, Michael Weisskopf, thanks very much. Good to see you back stateside, too. Take care.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired May 26, 2003 - 07:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: His reputation as a ruthless dictator has been well-documented, but it appears that Saddam Hussein's two sons, Uday and Qusay, were even worse.
"TIME" magazine this week has exclusive details about the brothers Hussein and their reign of terror in Iraq. "TIME's" Michael Weisskopf joins us now this morning. He is now in Washington after spending quite a few weeks over there in Iraq and around Baghdad.

Good to see you again, Michael, back stateside.

First off, the main question I have for you is what makes you think this man is still alive, Uday? The word coming out last week that he was trying to negotiate some sort of a deal. You believe that he is alive?

MICHAEL WEISSKOPF, "TIME" MAGAZINE: We've had reports both, Leon, from a domestic servant and also a friend of the family that all three Hussein men survived the two attacks by U.S. bombers. They're operating in an ark between Baghdad, Tikrit to the north, and Ramadi (ph) to the west, and melding into the Iraqi society.

HARRIS: And you have some reason to believe that Saddam is with them?

WEISSKOPF: Yes we do. They have broken into pairs, which is not surprising knowing the friction between the two brothers. Uday, the older of the sons, is operating on his own with aides, and Saddam has Qusay by his side in another location.

HARRIS: You say friction between the two brothers. What is that all about?

WEISSKOPF: They were great rivals, of course, for their father's attention. Saddam was a cold and remote father, but one obviously who attracted great loyalty from his sons. And they disliked each other pretty strongly. Uday suspected his younger brother was trying to marginalize him, and the younger brother was embarrassed by the lifestyle of Uday, the older brother.

And there is a great deal of jealously. Uday was so jealous of his brother that whenever he appeared in the media he threw fits. He was so jealous of his brother's girlfriends, he would bring them in and have sex with them himself, and then use a branding iron to mark them with a horseshoe-shaped "U," of course, "U" being the first letter of his name. HARRIS: Oh, goodness. Are people now over there, Michael -- you spent quite a bit of time over there. Are people now at least somewhat comfortable in talking about these two brothers and about what they did to that country and to other people now that they believe the regime is gone?

WEISSKOPF: This, Leon, was a hard reporting job. It was hard to find people and getting them to talk, primarily because until they see bodies, either in prison or in some type of coffins of the three Husseins, they are afraid they will come back. These were vicious men who terrorized this society in a very personal and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) way.

HARRIS: So, what were people telling you about Qusay, for instance? We understand that he was supposed to be the man in charge of the Republican Guard, the Republican Guard which turned out to be quite a much lesser threat than we had imagined them being going into this whole ordeal.

WEISSKOPF: Yes, and he played a role right at the end in the problems of that military. He was so erratic and impulsive at the end, according to an aide of his. He kept moving the Republican Guard troops into different locations, so that by the time U.S. troops arrived on the doorsteps of Baghdad, they were out of place; thus making it much easier. It helps explain why we marched in there so quickly.

He also was a man who had grave personal difficulties. He was afraid of germs and would never use the same bar of soap twice. When he was kissed by friends and relatives, which is a salutation in a place like Iraq, he'd immediately wash his face. When his children touched his clothing, he'd have aides come to brush off the germs.

HARRIS: Well, considering how evil these two men are at least considered to be by people in Iraq, what makes anyone think that they might actually turn themselves in?

WEISSKOPF: There is -- the only reason anyone would believe that is that they would be able to cut a deal for themselves, and there is no deal, of course. These people rank right up there in the top killers of history, the great abusers of human rights in history. It's just a matter of time until they are rounded up.

HARRIS: All right, Michael Weisskopf, thanks very much. Good to see you back stateside, too. Take care.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.