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Article: When Saddam smiles, make sure you count his teeth. (an autonomous region for Kurds granted by Saddam Hussein would not ensure their long-term safety)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- April 27, 1991
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1991 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THAT self-preserver extraordinary, Saddam Hussein, has once again shown that he knows when and how to cut his losses. This has made him a rather accommodating man for his ex-enemies to deal with. The rub is the general conviction, based on the man's record, that the same pragmatism, unencumbered by ideology or ethics, that leads him to sign an agreement one day will lead him to renege or cheat on it the next.
Having survived the war, Mr Hussein is riding the post-war humiliations. His wounded country needs time and international tolerance to recover and, accepting the inevitable, he is buying time with a series of compromises. The main surprise is his agreement, ...