27. Along with 'Baghdad Bob', what other nickname did he earn as information minister during the 2003 American invasion of Iraq?
From Quiz "Baghdad Bob": Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf
Answer:
Comical Ali
He earned the nickname 'Comical Ali' by the media because of his far-fetched and extraordinarily optimistic and upbeat comments about his Government's situation during the 2003 American invasion. The name 'Comical Ali' was derived from 'Chemical Ali', a name that was given to Ali Hassan al-Majid for his role in using chemical weapons in the ethnic cleansing of Kurds in northern Iraq. His daily televised briefings during the war caused a lot of amusement the world over, and even some confusion regarding how well the war was going. Some of his more well-known and humourous quotes:
"We are not afraid of the Americans. Allah has condemned them. They are stupid. They are stupid" (dramatic pause) "and they are condemned."
"I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they have started to commit suicide under the walls of Baghdad. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly."
"I blame Al-Jazeera - they are marketing for the Americans!"
"The authority of the civil defense ... issued a warning to the civilian population not to pick up any of those pencils because they are booby traps," he said, adding that the British and American forces were "immoral mercenaries" and "war criminals" for such behaviour.
"I am not talking about the American people and the British people," he said. "I am talking about those mercenaries. ... They have started throwing those pencils, but they are not pencils, they are booby traps to kill the children."
"There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"
And now for the ultimate irony:
"Lying is forbidden in Iraq. President Saddam Hussein will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honor and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts."
His quotes have even given him a large cult following, with a few websites dedicated entirely for him, such as the famous www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com! There are also DVDs, T-shirts, coffee-mugs, and other articles with pictures of him on sale along with his (in)famous quotes!
Even after his capture on June 25, 2003, he said that he "had no regrets" about the remarks he'd made during the War with America, and that the "full truth" would only be revealed after he wrote his book. (June 28, 2003)
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