Sultan Hashim Ahmad al-Tal
Sultan Hashim Ahmad Al-Jabburi Al-Tai was Minister of Defense under Saddam Hussein's regime. In the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam chose Ahmed to head the Iraqi delegation at cease-fire talks near the border with Kuwait. However, he was regarded largely as a figurehead in the Iraqi armed forces with real control resting with Saddam. He turned himself in to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) on September 19, 2003. Dawood Bagistani, who arranged the surrender to Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, said Ahmad was handed over "with great respect" and was with his family at the time. Bagistani said the US military had promised to remove Ahmad's name from the list of 55 most-wanted, meaning he would not face indefinite confinement and possible prosecution. "We trust the promise," Bagistani said. Special treatment for Ahmad could be an effort to defuse the guerrilla-style attacks that are taking a toll on American soldiers. Many of the attackers are thought to be former soldiers in Saddam's army. Seeing their former military leader well-treated by the Americans might encourage them to lay down their arms. Ahmad was no. 27 on the list.
|
