Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Baghdad hopes for Bush loss Date: Tue, 3 Nov 92 15:19:55 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD Baghdad hopes for Bush loss \SH Dancing in street expected in Iraq \BY Leon Barkho \CR REUTERS NEWS AGENCY \DT BAGHDAD BAGHDAD - There will be dancing in the streets of Baghdad if George Bush loses the presidential election, a top Iraqi official said yesterday. "As the speaker of parliament and a citizen, I expect the Iraqis to stage street celebrations if Bush is ousted," Saadi Mehdi Saleh said. "God willing, he will be toppled in the elections." Mr. Bush is reviled in Iraq for putting together the U.S.-led coalition that bombed Baghdad in the Gulf war and drove Iraqi forces from Kuwait, and for spearheading painful U.N. trade sanctions. "The Iraqis believe - and they are right - that Bush and not the U.N. Security Council stands behind the ruin and destruction that has befallen their country," Mr. Saleh said. Mr. Saleh, who is also a senior member of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party, predicted the festivities would rival celebrations in 1988 of what Iraq hailed as its victory over Iran in their eight-year war. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis spent almost a week dancing and singing in the streets of the capital. Brass bands played and drivers honked their horns in jubilation. On Saturday night, Mr. Bush told a campaign rally that Saddam was planning a celebration for 500,000 people in Baghdad if he lost. Mr. Bush's popularity soared to record highs for his leadership of the 1991 Gulf war, which has often been described as the crowning foreign policy achievement of his presidency. His approval rating eroded steadily in the aftermath of the war, however, as flagging U.S. economic growth and growing unemployment became the major issues in the run-up to today's presidential election. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM