Bush speaks of 'Soviet dinar' in speech about Iraq

HUDSON, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush spoke of "the Soviet dinar," even though dinars are the Iraqi currency.

Recalling a White House meeting last spring with an Iraqi man who had both of his arms amputated by the regime of Saddam Hussein, the president said the man, who worked as a jeweller, was accused of illegal currency trading.

"And he had sold dinars on a particular day to buy another currency, euros or dollars, so he could buy gold to manufacture his product," Bush said.

"And because the Soviet dinar had devalued, Saddam Hussein plucked this guy out of society to punish him, and six other small merchants, for the devaluation of their currency. He just summarily said, you're it, come here -- and cut his hand off."