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Deaths of sons led troops to Hussein

After Uday and Qusay Hussein were killed, Iraqis were more willing to provide intelligence about their father, two Florida lawmakers say.

TAMPA - The deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons in July marked the turning point in the U.S.-led campaign to capture the former Iraqi dictator, two prominent Florida lawmakers said Sunday.

After years of torment, Iraqi citizens were more forthcoming with intelligence after U.S. troops killed Uday and Qusay Hussein in a gun battle, said U.S. Reps. Porter Goss of Sanibel and C.W. Bill Young of Largo.

"We found that Iraqi citizens were a little more willing to provide us information than they were before that because they knew we were serious," said Young, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Hussein's capture Saturday went very well, said Goss, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

"We did just about everything right," he said. "This is, I hope, the template for how we're going to be dealing with some of the other chapters in the war on terrorism."

A few weeks ago, military and intelligence leaders began a more concerted effort to penetrate Hussein's inner circle, systematically capturing or interrogating supporters and family members in the area around Tikrit, Hussein's tribal home. The Army's 4th Infantry Division captured 22 people Friday in the Tikrit area.

The intelligence effort paid off: One of Hussein's family members provided the information that triggered the successful raid Saturday, said Maj. Gen. Ray Odierno, whose 4th Infantry is responsible for the Tikrit area.

Before his capture, forces had been "very close" to nabbing Hussein several times, Young said.

"We were generally dealing with, "Saddam is in this community. Saddam is in this area,' " he said.

He might have eluded capture by hiding in a hole, Young said.

"It could have happened that they would have bypassed that rat hole," he said. "They call it a spider hole, but I call it a rat hole for obvious reasons."

Goss said violence in Iraq will not end with Hussein's capture.

"We should expect his loyalists to become more desperate," he said. "They will be fighting for their very lives with no possibility that Saddam Hussein will ever return. I suspect that it will be some time before a settled peace resides in Iraq."

U.S. Sens. Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, both Democrats from Florida, chimed in with statements of support.

"The capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq makes this a day of joy and hope," said Graham, who voted against the war resolution. "Joy that this tyrant has been captured and will be brought to justice. And hope that this event will lead to a safer, more secure country upon which a democratic society can be established."

Nelson, who voted for the resolution, said Hussein's capture would send a signal to insurgents attacking coalition forces in Iraq that they will be hunted down.

"To the international community, it says, "Iraq hopefully will be a safer place for the rebuilding effort,' " Nelson said. "To the Iraqi people, it says, "The fear over your hearts may at long last be gone.' "

On Sunday, Young said the Pentagon alerted him to Hussein's capture in a 5 a.m. telephone call to his home.

"I believe that this will be a major turning point in not only the relationship with the Iraqi citizens but the relationship with other countries that weren't really too pleased with what we were doing," he said.

Young noted that in recent months, coalition forces have altered their military strategy. They have gone from providing security to seeking out suspected terrorists.

New forces that have been rotated in also have been better trained in urban warfare, he said.

Goss said forces would have to keep adjusting, with maximum flexibility. He said whether the number of troops in Iraq remains at the same level will depend on how the enemy reacts.

"I don't think even the enemy knows because it has become somewhat unstructured," Goss said. "You've got a lot of people running around with ordnance, hardware and a lot of hate, and it's very hard to predict what they're going to do."

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.