“In early June [2004], the American FBI agent [George Piro] got Saddam to open up about his planning for the 2003 war. Piro kept asking him about his military planning for what Saddam himself said was the inevitable invasion. ‘I told my commanders that their duty to Iraq was to defend against the invaders with all their power, pride, and dignity for two weeks,’ Saddam said. ‘This would make it costly for the invaders. After two weeks, I instructed that the commanders were to conduct an insurgency against the occupiers. Iraq would absorb and destroy the invaders.’ …Saddam had also indicated to senior Iraqis like [deputy Prime Minister Tariq] Aziz that perhaps the Russians and French would force a halt to U.S. military actions after some time.” [The 5th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Charles Duelfer, Hide and Seek, Pages 405-406