| WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2003
— With three words – “We got him” – Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III
announced at a press briefing in Baghdad today that U.S. forces had
captured Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit.
Saddam was taken into custody at a small mud-walled compound outside
the village of Adwar at 8:30 p.m. local time Dec. 13.
About 600 members of the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division,
along with special operations forces, launched Operation Red Dawn
after receiving intelligence that Saddam was in the area, said Army
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in the
country. |
 Bremer,
the coalition administrator, said it was a “great day” in Iraq's
history. “For decades, hundreds of thousands of you suffered at the
hands of this cruel man,” he said. “For decades, Saddam Hussein
divided citizens against each other. For decades, he threatened and
attacked your neighbors. Those days are over forever.”
The ambassador called on Iraqis to look to the future.
Full Story by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service |
