Saddam : U.S. Botched WTC Rescue  
Reuters 
September 21, 2001 

BAGHDAD - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein yesterday criticized U.S. rescue efforts at the
devastated World Trade Center site, saying more experienced Iraqis would have found more
survivors in the rubble. 

“America has let down its people. Many who could have been saved died. They could have
been saved if the mission had been given to Iraqis trained by the tragedies America inflicted
on Iraq,” Saddam told a group of officers. 

U.S. authorities “should have saved the living from day one, and rescue work should have
been carried out by ordinary people, and not limited to rescue workers,” Saddam said. 
He said American authorities should also have asked Iraq to help repair the devastating
damage. 

“The Americans should have used Iraqi help to restore water, power and telephones to the
area,” Saddam said, citing what he described as the swift reconstruction of his country’s
facilities after U.S. attacks. 

The Iraqi president said Iraq would have helped the U.S. rescue effort if it had been asked. 
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