This was actually from Sunday, October 30th, but it doesn't seem to have been diaried. According to an Egyptian-born now Canadian-national aerospace engineer and former US pilot, Hossam Shaltout, Saddam Hussein was ready to give in to all US demands before the invasion but was rebuffed by the US.
"Saddam was willing to yield to all American demands, announced and unannounced, to reach peaceful resolution," said Shaltout, "but the Bush administration, including Elizabeth Cheney, undersecretary of State, David Welch, the U.S. ambassador in Egypt, and Gene Cretz, his political attache, did not respond to his offers."
Shaltout claims that he was arrested in Baghdad when he offered the US his assistance, and was tortured in an Iraqi prison. He appeared on Chris Matthews and told of the ordeal of his captivity. If his story about Saddam is true, it would certainly confirm what those with a shred of common sense have long held true: the Bush administration was going to attack Iraq no matter what Saddam did.
I'm not sure why this hasn't gotten more play in the mainstream media, or why it seems only to appear on business-related sites, but there it is. It would seem that our fearless leaders would rather arrest and torture the messenger than let him get out his message, which would undermine their fervent rush to war and profits. I know this is short, but I need to go to work and this story seems to stand on its own...