The Belarus Connection
Much is known about the at-the-time flourishing relationship between Belarus and Iraq not long after the first Gulf War – even the BBC reported on the strong ties between the two nations. Saddam even part-funded a public library in Minsk such was the closeness of the relationship.
But what is really interesting is the sorts of quotes found in articles like this one from USAToday, 5th June 2003:
Belarus had developed such close ties … that it even made the short-list of countries where analysts and diplomats expected Saddam could seek refuge.
The plot thickens; The Independent went so far as to report on 24th June 2003:
Senior officials of the former Iraqi regime may be trying to flee to Belarus.
It is well known that the Belarus has poor relations with the USA, so it is not surprising that Belarus would stand out as a destination of choice amongst the Iraqi elite.
But the biggest question lies around the events of March 29th 2003. As reported by The World Tribune on 25th April 2003 – and I urge you, faithful reader, to consider that at this point the USA had total air supremacy in the area – there was an apparent evacuation of the Iraqi elite:
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has obtained safe haven in Belarus…
Western intelligence sources … base this assessment on new information about a March 29 flight from Baghdad to Minsk. They said the flight of a chartered cargo plane … transported Saddam, his sons and much of his family to Belarus.
Remarkable. Remember, at this time the USA had complete control over all flights in, out and around Iraqi airspace. Even more interesting is that this flight left Baghdad and then headed direct to Iranian air space where again, no intervention took place.
Remarkable parallels can be drawn to the “bin Laden flights” out of USA shortly after September 11th, where the elite were allowed to leave with no intervention from the authorities.
For the bin Ladens, oil and corruption was (and still is) the obvious answer, but the with control of Iraq an inevitability one major question remains:
Why did the USA military allow the “Hussein flight” from Baghdad to Minsk to take place?
