- CAPE TOWN - The rapid fall
of Baghdad, after the strong initial resistance that met American soldiers,
is an indication that a secret agreement was reached between America and
the Iraqi government.
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- A South African Muslim pressure group, Media Review Network
(MRN), claims that this is one of the speculations doing the rounds in
the Arabic media.
-
- MRN says the Arabic world is abuzz over the 'safqa' -
an Arabic word that refers to a secret arrangement.
-
- There are no facts to prove the existence of such a safqa,
but three results of the arrangement are apparently obvious.
-
- The first is that the lives of many American and British
soldiers and also that of leaders of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party were
spared.
-
- The second is that Baghdad, which was apparently fortified
by many defence circles, offered virtually no resistance.
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- Thirdly, the invasion took far less time than military
observers predicted.
-
- MRN says questions are now being raised about the role
of the Saudi monarchy in the secret agreement. Arabic reporters are investigating
rumours that Saddam is being sheltered in Mecca.
-
- If these rumours are confirmed it would be a further
clue to suggest that Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia acted as the
architect of the secret agreement.
-
- He is apparently a trusted intermediary of the Bush family
and the only Arabic leader to be invited to President George W Bush's Texas
farm.
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- http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1349750,00.html
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