CIA'S PROFILE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP09T00207R001000100016-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 23, 2011
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: August 28, 1990
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2011/09/23: CIA-RDP09TOO207ROO1000100016-7
RADIO TV REPORTS, INC.
4701 WILLARD AVENUE, CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND 20815 [phone]
PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF 482-6790
[ATTN: PAT]
Good Morning America
srAnON WJLA TV
ABC Network
August 28, 1990 8:00 AM
CIA's Profile of Saddam Hussein
Washington, DC
MIKE SCHNEIDER: The military and diplomatic pressure
appears to be backing the Iraqi President into a corner now, but
will he come out fighting. That ' s a question that U.S. intelligence
agencies are trying to answer, as John Scali reports.
JOHN SC'ALI : Saddam Hussein, sometimes called "The Madman
of the Middle East". Is he so driven by dreams of glory that he
won't back down no matter how powerful the opposition? This is one
of the crucial questions in the personality profile of Saddam
prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency to help guide President
Bush in his decisions. The CIA answer is sort of yes and no. It
emphasizes that Saddam Hussein is both sane and rational, but also a
fanatic who is determined and stubborn.
In a crisis such as that brought on by his sudden invasion
of Kuwait, he's likely to pause as he seems to be doing now, to
reappraise his next move.
Professor Jerrold Post, who once directed preparation of
such profiles for the government believes Saddam is not as
fanatic[al] as some others believe.
PROFESSOR JERROLD POST (former CIA official): He has a
sense of patience, he has a sense of time. And in the past when he
has moved too quickly he has been able to withdraw to delay his
achievement to revolutionary immortality until another time.
SCALI: The CIA profile seeks to foreshadow what he may do
by highlighting past patterns of behavior such as his willingness to
accept enormous casualties on the battlefield as he has in the war
OFFICES IN: WASHINGTON D.C. ? NEW YORK ? LOS ANGELES ? CHICAGO ? DETROIT ? AND OTHER PRINCIPAL CITIES
Material supplied by Radio N Reports. Inc. may be used for file and reference ouroosas only it mov not ha ,pooch rsui nI 1 , r r~i .r .e . --hibited.
Approved For Release 2011/09/23: CIA-RDP09TOO207ROO1000100016-7
 Approved For Release 2011/09/23: CIA-RDP09TOO207ROO1000100016-7
with Iran. Saddam justifies this as necessary to destroy foreign
enemies seeking to block his becoming supreme leader of the entire
Arab world.
Which Saddam Hussein will decide for his country, the
fanatic or the pragmatist? The British and French intelligence
services are reported as uncertain as the CIA. Amidst the pessimism
it must be noted there are knowledgeable experts outside the
government who detect signs that Saddam is becoming increasingly
frightened.
John Scali, ABC News, Washington.
Approved For Release 2011/09/23: CIA-RDP09TOO207ROO1000100016-7