Saddam’s rusting yacht serves as a picnic spot for Iraqi fishermen – #Saddams #rusting #yacht #serves #picnic #spot #Iraqi #fishermen
BASRA, Iraq, March 16 (Reuters) – The rusting wreckage of Saddam Hussein’s yacht, which sank in a river in southern Iraq, is believed to be his USAof 20 is a clear reminder of the iron-fisted rule that ended with the annual invasion. before.
A symbol of Saddam’s wealth and power when it was built in the 1980s, the 121-meter (396-foot) al-Mansoor is today a destination for tourists and fishermen who board the wreck for picnics and tea.
A fisherman who enjoys ending a long day on the river with a cup of tea at the crash Hussein Sabahi said, “When it belonged to the former president, no one could approach it.”
“I can’t believe this is about Saddam and now I’m the one moving around him,” he said.
Saddam 20March 03 20A few weeks after the beginning of the invasion, he ordered the yacht, which he had never boarded, to leave its berth in Umm Qasr to Basra to keep it safe.
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But he USAIt was targeted by forces led by and later turned as it began to rot in the Shatt al-Arab waterway.
In the chaos that followed Saddam’s fall, the yacht was stripped bare and ransacked, with everything from its chandeliers and furniture to parts of its metalwork removed.
The yacht, one of three owned by Saddam, could accommodate up to 200 guests and was equipped with a helipad.
USA officials believed in 2003 that Saddam and his family 40 billion illegally obtained up to dollars funds collected.
Another of his yachts has been turned into a hotel in Basra.
Although some Iraqis say the ruins should be preserved, subsequent governments for its restoration funds did not separate.
“This yacht is like a precious jewel, like a rare masterpiece that you keep at home,” said Zahi Moussa, a sea captain who works for the Iraqi Ministry of Transport.
“We are saddened that this is the case.”
Written by Seham Eloraby; Edited by Tom Perry, William Maclean
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-03-16 15:45:44
Source – reuters
Translation“24 HOURS”