"Saddam was found in a ventilated pit six feet deep"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's how the BBC reported the news today. Once again ignoring the fact that the nation's metric-only-educated youth won't have a clue what is being reported

That is how the US-led Coalition promulgated the measurement.

The BBC chose not to arbitrarily convert it to another system as much of the British media seems to do when presented with metric measurements.

Also, Paul Bremer told us that Al-Dawr is 15km south of Tikrit.

No mention in German press as to the size of the hole:

Saddam Hussein gefasst

Paul Bremer: "Wir haben ihn" - USA zeigen Video des Gefassten

Saddam Hussein ist gefangen. Er wurde um 17.30 Uhr am Samstag (MEZ) in einem gemauerten Erdloch bei der Ortschaft Ad Dawr 15 Kilometer südlich seiner Heimatstadt Tikrit gefasst. General Ricardo Sanchez, Kommandeur der US-Bodentruppen im Irak, sagte: "Es fiel kein einziger Schuss." Saddam befinde sich in US-Gewahrsam an einem geheimen Ort. Er sei "gesprächig und kooperativ".

http://www.heute.t-online.de/ZDFheute/artikel/8/0,1367,POL-2089645-2089544,00.html


No mention in Australian press either, just referance to the 15 km distance:

addam captured
By Paul McGeough, Baghdad
Peter Fray, London
Marian Wilkinson, Washington
Louise Dodson, Canberra
December 15, 2003

Print this article
Email to a friend



A television image of the captured Saddam Hussein.
Picture: Reuters

Related:
PM supports death for Saddam
Family tip-off trips up dictator
Bush vows Saddam will 'face justice'
Bewildered: Footage of a bearded despot
Saddam's lair: Inside the spider hole
Dictator falls: Tyrant a prisoner
Saddam's capture
Life and times of Saddam


"Ladies and gentleman, we got him."

With those words interim Iraq Governor Paul Bremer last night triumphantly announced the capture of Saddam Hussein by United States forces in northern Iraq.

In a major boost for Washington's beleaguered occupation force, Saddam, 66, was captured alive, dug out of an underground hole near his hometown of Tikrit by US forces and was being held in an undisclosed location.

Celebrations broke out in Baghdad and other towns as Iraqis learnt of the capture of the man who ruled them with an iron fist for almost a quarter of a century.

"This is a great day in Iraq's history," Mr Bremer said. "For decades hundreds of thousands of you suffered at the hand of this cruel man.

"Those days are over forever... the tyrant is a prisoner."

The deposed dictator - dishevelled and bearded - was captured 15 kilometres from Tikrit about 8pm Saturday (4am yesterday, Australian time).

Saddam was captured hiding in a "spider hole" dug into the cellar of a small rural farmhouse near his home town of Tikrit, US General Ricardo Sanchez told a news conference in Baghdad.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/15/1071336825890.html

Mr. Hussein was captured Saturday at 8:30 p.m. in a specially prepared "spider hole" in a house in Adwar, a town 15 kilometres from Tikrit, said Lt.-Col. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq. The hole was about two-metres deep, with enough space to lie down, camouflaged with bricks and dirt and supplied with an air vent to allow long periods inside.


http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031214.wiraq1214/BNStory/International/

So he was found 15km from Tikrit in a 6ft ditch.

Ok I get it now.

Actually - maybe he was found 10 miles from Tikrit in a 2 metre ditch.

Who'd like to ban some words? Any takers?

Also, where *is* Jason?

re (Euric):

"A television image of the captured Saddam Hussein.
Picture: Reuters

Related:
PM supports death for Saddam
Family tip-off trips up dictator
Bush vows Saddam will 'face justice'
Bewildered: Footage of a bearded despot
Saddam's lair: Inside the spider hole
Dictator falls: Tyrant a prisoner
Saddam's capture
Life and times of Saddam"

REPLY:

Euric - please supply a metric translation (in English) for "Bewildered: Footage of a bearded despot"

Never mind the measurements used!

God the Yanks must be relieved! After searching eight months for weapons of mass destructin, they finally found it. Admittedly a bit dishevelled and pale, but otherwise fully charged. He wants to negotiate his own destruction, God bless him.

PLEEEEASE don't get eric (metre) onto the subject of Iraq!!