Senior Jordanian government officials say they are pressing Washington to offer Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and perhaps fifty of his top aides a guarantee of safe haven elsewhere throughout the Arab world if they quit power in Iraq, the New York Times reported Wednesday.
According to the report, high-ranking Jordanian officials say they are pushing for incorporation of the idea in any new resolution on Iraq by the United Nations Security Council - not so much because they believe Hussein will accept it, but because they are almost certain the Iraqi leader will not.
The U.S. paper reported that these officials said that by rejecting a formal offer of exile from the United Nations, Saddam would isolate himself from other senior Iraqi leaders, thus increasing the chances of a move to assassinate or topple him.
The Jordanians say they have discussed the idea with other Arab leaders, and found broad acceptance of it with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others. (Albawaba.com)
