Fifty-one percent of those polled by Time Magazine and CNN television last week said the United States should attempt to assassinate Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, while 39 percent were opposed to such a prospect.
About 54 percent of the 1,003 adults polled were against preemptive US attacks on nations that have not struck the United States, however, while 35 percent supported them. The June 19-20 survey, due to appear in Monday's issue of Time Magazine, has a 3.1 percent margin of error.
Meanwhile, the British Times newspaper reported that Saddam was considering stepping down as the Iraqi head of state in favor of his younger son in a bid to counter the growing threat to his regime from the Bush Administration.
Arab diplomats in Baghdad said that the Iraqi leader may allow Qusay Hussein, 36 his heir apparent, to become the country's next leader.
The Iraqi president will remain in de facto control, but the tactic may satisfy the Americans, or at least to delay their planned military action aimed at a change of regime in Baghdad by next year. "The word in the diplomatic community is that when the elections are being prepared this autumn, Saddam will not put his name forward but instead allow Qusay to go forward," one diplomat said, according to the London-based newspaper. "The aim would be to deflate the American threat."
The change is likely to be used as a last line of defense, only when all diplomatic options were exhausted and a new conflict seemed inevitable.
However the prospect of Saddam relinquishing power voluntarily still seems unthinkable to some. "Frankly, I don't believe he will ever step down," one diplomat said. "He would prefer to die or see his country destroyed rather than give up power to his son." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
