Boy, Kathryn, did I miss a lot in that Saddam speech. Like you’ve commented, readers, too, are writing in to say they’re sure the Saddam speech was pre-taped before the war. Here’s a typical letter:

I disagree with your Corner posting. There was no way to enter Iraq from Kuwait without taking Umm Qasr, he would have easily known it would be a priority. Basra is not occupied, only surrounded, as is Mosul. If they had been occupied as he probably assumed they would be, he would say to be patient, as he did. However since they are still offering resistance, he should have said, “keep up the fight”. As well, he praised a commander of the 11th brigade. They were one of the first units to fall apart, they were gone in the first 24 hours.

Other readers have pointed out another brigade that Saddam saluted, one that has already surrendered. That being the case, then it seems clear that Saddam taped this speech before the war, and making his best guess as to where battles would be underway by this point in the war. And if he did record this speech before the war, and the Iraqi government is having to air this tinned tape instead of the real Saddam, then he must be dead, or seriously wounded.

I should have known the excellent Walid Phares would be all over this thing. By the way, CNN is still taking the Saddam speech at face value, almost two hours after it was delivered.