Cheney added that allowing weapons inspectors to return was a “big decision” and encouraged the Iraqis to “sleep on it.” But hours after Cheney told he Iraqis to reconsider, Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein released an official statement of his own, leaving little doubt that he intended to stick with his decision. “Not only am I sure that I want the weapons inspectors to come back to Iraq,” Saddam’s statement read, “but I am totally stoked about it.”
A less enthusiastic response to Saddam’s decision came from U.S. Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks, who had just moved his United States Central Command office from Florida to Qatar in preparation for military exercises in the Persian Gulf region. “No way!” Franks said when informed of the new development. “You’ve got to be yanking my chain!”
Meanwhile, an aide to the vice president said that Cheney was returning to his secure undisclosed location for a few days “to be alone,” but denied that the Vice President was “sulking.”
“The vice president is an optimistic man,” the aide said. “This is a bump in the road, but he is still hopeful that Saddam will change his mind and refuse to allow weapons inspectors return to Iraq.”
