Saddam Hussein Admitted He Miscalculated, Says FBI Agent

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein kept up the illusion that he had weapons of mass destruction before 2003 because he did not think the United States would invade, an FBI agent who questioned him said.

In an interview with CBS’ "60 Minutes" to be broadcast on Sunday, FBI agent George Piro describes conversations with Saddam in the months after his capture in December 2003.

Piro said Saddam, who was hanged from crimes against humanity in December 2006, wanted to maintain the image of a strong Iraq to deter Iran, its historic enemy, from hostile action.

"He told me he initially miscalculated ... President (George W.) Bush’s intentions. He thought the United States would retaliate with the same type of attack as we did in 1998... a four-day aerial attack," Piro said.

"He survived that one and he was willing to accept that type of attack," Piro said, according to excerpts of the interview released on Thursday.

CBS correspondent Scott Pelley asks Piro: "He didn’t believe the U.S. would invade?" Piro answers: "No, not initially."

No Iraqi weapons of mass destruction were found despite the Bush administration’s warnings before the March 2003 invasion that Iraq’s arsenal of banned weapons presented a threat to its neighbours and U.S. interests.

Once the invasion was certain, Saddam asked his generals if they could hold the invaders for two weeks, Piro said.

You can read the full report HERE.
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