International   

U.K. considered free medical treatment to Saddam

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Britain was once so enamoured of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, that British diplomats toyed with the idea of flying him to London for free medical treatment for his back problems, according to official documents released by the National Archives. The year was 1975 when Mr. Hussein was emerging as Iraq's new strong leader and there was a scramble among Western countries to cultivate him though he had not yet declared himself President.

Diplomatic relations between London and Baghdad had just been restored after a three-year-break, and Britain was keen not to pass up any chance to please Mr. Hussein, who was then chairman of the all-powerful Iraq Revolutionary Command Council. Documents reveal that when British diplomats got to know that Mr. Hussein had a severe back trouble which needed complicated surgery not apparently available in Iraq they saw in it an opportunity for Britain to get close to him.

Hectic discussions

There were hectic discussions between the British embassy in Baghdad and the Foreign Office in London on the possibility of offering Mr. Hussein free treatment in Britain.

Inquiries about the availability of such treatment were made and on January 10, 1975 T.J.Clark, an official of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, wrote to the British embassy in Baghdad: "I am advised that if Saddam is suffering from a broken disc pinching the sciatic nerve, there is an operation by name, laminectomy, regularly and successfully undertaken by in various hospitals in the U.K., by which there is a very good chance of total recovery.''

But, alas, the British efforts were in vain as the Iraqi leader never approached London for medical help

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Indonesian army withdraws from Aceh
Case dealt with insulting army
Gas line work will start in 2007: Pakistan
Plea to curb Shariat courts' powers in Malaysia
HIV: Zambia struggles with the power of witchdoctors
Outlook worsens for Enron bosses
A recipe for trouble
Beware `sober worm'
Padilla: focus on President's powers
U.K. considered free medical treatment to Saddam
Baloch gas contract for state-run firm
Glitter pays compensation
Four dead in grass fires

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu