“I do not think your US administration deserves that Iraqis condole with it on what happened, unless it condoles with the Iraqi people on the death of 1.5 million Iraqis who it killed.”

— Saddam Hussein

Saddam’s surprise message — ‘Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has for the first time offered condolences to the American people for those who died in the 11 September attacks.

He was replying to an e-mail from an American who appealed to him to take a stand toward removing terrorism, hunger and strife around the world.

Iraq is the only Arab country not to have condemned the attacks.

Saddam Hussein’s traditional Muslim message of condolence came in what appeared to be an unprecedented personal exchange with an American citizen, published by the Iraqi Information Ministry.

In it, a man called Christopher Love, who described himself as a computer engineer from Pennsylvania, urged the Iraqi leader to seize the moment and, in his words, side with the world.’ BBC