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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Saddam appears in court |
| 2004-07-01 |
| by Christiane Amanpour, CNN EFL. Saddam reveals himself to be a card-carrying member of International ANSWER, Dictators for Kerry, and the Michael Morre Fan Club. Saddam Hussein stepped into an Iraqi court on Thursday and entered a new chapter in the countryâs history, facing accusations that included the invasion of Kuwait and the gassing of Kurds. Appearing before a judge in a 30-minute hearing, Saddam looked thin and downcast. When he was ushered into the court, the judge asked him his name and twice he said, "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq." The judge asked whether he understood his rights and could afford counsel. Saddam pointed his finger at the judge, asking whose jurisdiction the court was under. . . . Saddam challenged the court on his invasion of Kuwait. He kept saying, "How could you say that? I did that for the Iraqi people ... how could you defend these dogs," he said, referring to the Kuwaitis. The judge reprimanded him for his language. "This is all a theater, the real criminal is Bush," Saddam said Comments from the left: "See! See! The whole world hates us âcause of Bush!" "Wow! I bet he saw Farenheit 9/11 too!" He also denied the accusation of gassing Kurds at Halabja. "I heard about that on the television reports, saying it happened during the rule of President Saddam Hussein," he told the judge. He refused to sign court documents that said he understood what took place in court, noting that he wanted No word on whether he threatened to hold his breath and turn blue if his demands were not met. National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said Iraq has "a long, long, long list of crimes against Saddam Hussein," citing the chemical attacks in Halabja, the execution of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, people killed in mass graves, and the launching of three wars. "These are crimes against humanity, homicide and genocides," he concluded. Months from now, the suspects will be formally indicted. After that, Saddam and his aides will face trial -- all part of a process that that his Jordanian attorney asserts will be illegal and unfair. It will also be humiliating--and end in a richly deserved hanging. Sic semper tyrranis. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #11 Aussie Mike - Amanpour? Lol! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-07-01 11:42:34 PM |
| #10 Wasn't she the one Col. David Hackworth refers to as Ms. Death? |
| Posted by: Aussie Mike 2004-07-01 11:38:06 PM |
| #9 The judge then repeated "Saddam Hussein al-Majid?" using the former leader's full name. Should rub it in & use his actual given name instead of the one he assumed later on, i.e. Isdam Husayn al-Awja'i (Isdam is a yokel's/Thug's name, IIRC it means Clasher or Fighter or somesuch & al-Awja was/is a village famed for poverty & mindless violence if Mr Aburish is to be believed.) Might also be an idea to accidentally on purpose forget the Husayn bit as often as possible & remind him of all the allegations about his illegitimacy, oh & maybe go all formal on occasionss & call him Abu Uday so he doesn't forget even for a moment the end of his dynastic ambitions. |
| Posted by: Dave (UK) 2004-07-01 6:14:23 PM |
| #8 âHe was then taken inside by two imposing Iraqi prison guards, while six other guards waited outside.â This must have blown Iraqi minds--the tyrant forced to submit to the rule of law. : ) "Are you Saddam Hussein?" the judge said. Looking indignantly at the court official he replied: "Yes, Saddam Hussein, the president of the Republic of Iraq." The judge then repeated "Saddam Hussein al-Majid?" using the former leader's full name. "Saddam Hussein, the president of the Republic of Iraq," repeated the man in the dock, emphatically. Throughout the hearing he refused being referred to as the "former Iraqi president". And when asked where he lived, Saddam Hussein replied:"I live in every Iraqi house." The âDictator mindsetâ sure is a hard thing to shake. When he was told that it was Iraqi justice, he mocked the judge and the proceedings. Did he have a law certificate, the accused asked, and since when had he been recognised as a judge - before the occupation of Iraq or afterwards? "Since the days of the previous regime until now," the judge replied, explaining that the former US-led occupation administration had asked him to hold the trial. Saddam then laughed: "You are trying me by order of the invasion forces. By what law are you trying me?" "I am trying you in accordance with the Iraqi law," the judge said. "Then you are trying my by the law that I enacted," Saddam Hussein replied. "You are trying me by a law that I approved and ratified." Funny thing, that law stuff. Kind of puts everybody on the same plain. Guess he never figured it would ever apply to him. â . . . the guards were told to take the prisoner away. One of them hesitated, apparently not quite knowing what to do with this man who less than 18 months ago was an all-powerful tyrant who ruled Iraq with a rod of iron. Eventually, he tucked his hands under Saddam Hussein's elbows and led him away. Again: This must have blown Iraqi minds--the tyrant forced to submit to the rule of law. Three years ago, this was unimaginable. : ) Nice warning to the Iranian dictators too! |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2004-07-01 3:25:25 PM |
#7 Kathryn Jean Lopez at National Review Online:Despite Saddam's defiance today, John Burns makes the point that he sounded very much like a broken man. (From memory, he's delivering an oral report right now in Baghdad.) |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-07-01 1:31:05 PM |
| #6 Here's the lead in from al-Beeb: Saddam Hussein arrived in chains at a palace complex once used by his inner circle for hunting, fishing and other pleasurable diversions. "Pleasurable diversions" sounds like a euphemism for rape, mutilation and murder. |
| Posted by: Classical_Liberal 2004-07-01 11:45:44 AM |
| #5 I forget, who was it that accurately nailed Christiane as a War Slut? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-07-01 10:30:10 AM |
| #4 He refused to sign court documents that said he understood what took place in court, noting that he wanted his attorney present. Let's see, what would that behavior have gotten you in Saddam's court? A sarcastic laugh, followed by an enthusiastic flaying, topped off with a dip in the toxic sludge pool, no doubt. He's got some nerve. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-07-01 10:11:20 AM |
| #3 I heard Ramsey Clark wants to represent Saddam (Ramsey represented Milosivec for a while). I'm sure a few other hatriot US lawyers would work pro bono. |
| Posted by: mhw 2004-07-01 9:57:18 AM |
| #2 This shoulda been Page 1--Fred, please fix it. Thanks. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-07-01 9:04:56 AM |
| #1 Next he will want a bag of M&M's! |
| Posted by: Dragon Fly 2004-07-01 8:54:09 AM |