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Iraq
World Leaders React to Killing of Saddam’s Sons
2003-07-23
Looks like the receiving line at the wake is going to be mighty short.
Several world leaders expressed relief Wednesday over the deaths of Saddam Hussein’s sons with some saying they hoped it would help end sporadic fighting in Iraq and speed its progress toward democracy. Most countries across Asia awoke to TV reports that Saddam’s two eldest sons Odai and Qusai had been killed Tuesday by U.S. forces in Mosul, Iraq.
  • In Hong Kong, British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the killings as ``a great day for the new Iraq.’’ ``These particular two people were the head of the regime, which was not just a security threat because of its weapons program but was responsible for the torture and killing of thousands and thousands of innocent Iraqis,’’ said Blair, who was on a tour of Asia.

  • Australian Prime Minister John Howard, one of the staunchest supporters of the tough U.S. line on Iraq, said their deaths would bring a measure of stability to post-war Iraq. ``I don’t want to overstate that, but psychologically it’s a huge step forward,’’ said Howard.

  • That sentiment was echoed by leaders in Japan and New Zealand. Japan’s top government spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, said it might help eliminate the pockets of resistance in Iraq. ``Hopefully, their removal will assist stability in Iraq, in the interests of facilitating self-determination by the Iraqi people,’’ said New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff.
Still, some in the United States had hoped to see the two stand trial.
That would have been okay too.
Al-Guardian's just throwing in the downside...
``I, my children, were ecstatic about the news,’’ said Qasim Al-Hashimi, 40, watching Arabic news broadcasts in the Karbalaa Islamic Center in Dearborn, Mich. on Tuesday. But Al-Hashimi added that he would have preferred that the two be taken alive. ``Their crimes need to be exposed to the Iraqi people and to the Arab world,’’ he said, showing deep scars around his wrists, which he said were the result of torture when he was imprisoned for opposing Saddam’s regime.

Reaction in the Iraqi city of Mosul, site of the gunfight, was divided. At least 1,000 people shouted in delight or cursed the Americans outside the mansion of the tribal sheik Nawaf al-Zaydan Muhhamad, where Odai and Qusai had been holed up. ``How can they do this?’’ a man in the crowd shouted Tuesday, apparently more concerned with the property damage. ``What are the Americans doing destroying a house like this?’’
"And just look what they've done to the lawn!"
Real estate ad, Mosul Times: "Prime location, recently vacated, open lot, leveled and cleared, new owner anxious to sell, contact CENTCOM Realty."
Some Iraqis were delighted while others cursed U.S. soldiers who milled about as smoke wafted from the blown-out windows as the six-hour siege ended. Still others stood silently and appeared in mourning.
rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb
Go ahead, be mad, we don’t care.
Saddam has a third, younger son, according to some reports, and three daughters. The four kept a low profile.
This son had better turn himself in real soon now.
Posted by:Steve White

#16  and most of all ... Gil Hodges
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-7-23 2:18:34 PM  

#15  LH,

How about Jerry Grote, Kenny Boswell, Ed (Glider) Charles, Donn Clendenon (thank you, Pittsburgh), Art Shamsky, Amos Otis (talk about bad trades), Bud Harrelson and Al (TWO homers in 1 game, Cubbies!) Weis.
Posted by: Hodadenon   2003-7-23 2:08:26 PM  

#14  Liberalhawk:

You suck.
You probably were the one who let the black cat onto the field at Shea Stadium. BTW, Randy Hundley DID tag out that guy at the plate. And Swaboda never caught another fly ball after the '69 series. Shot his wad, so to speak, just like Ed Kranepool did. It was their year. Thank God Mets lost to Oakland in '73. A .500 team should never win the series.

Good stuff yesterday, LH. Shed a few tears for the Kurds, Shiites, and the rest of the downtrodden myself yesterday despite the glow I felt. A great day in a long struggle in the fight, folks. Let's get back to work now.
Posted by: Michael   2003-7-23 1:52:27 PM  

#13  Re: 69 Cubs

Cleon Jones. Tommy Agee. Jerry Koosman. Tug McGraw. Tom Seaver. Nolan Ryan (yes, Nolan Ryan)

Nyah, nyah, nyah.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-7-23 12:57:29 PM  

#12  Greatly paraphrasing the great Ernie Banks: "Let's kill two!"
Posted by: ColoradoConservative   2003-7-23 12:45:54 PM  

#11  Michael-I still remember Ernie Banks Slogan for that year: The Cubs will Shine in '69
Posted by: Don Kessinger   2003-7-23 12:22:00 PM  

#10  Following up on the first poster's comments: "Ding Dong the witch is dead."

Here's what David Frum, my favorite conservative Canadian, wrote on the subject today (http://www.nationalreview.com/frum/diary072303.asp)

"For Iraqis, the weeks since Saddam’s overthrow have been like those frames in the Wizard of Oz in which the Munchkins hesitate before deciding that the Witch of the East has indeed been crushed to death.

The extinction of the future of the Saddam regime will dishearten the Baathist thugs who have been hired to fight on. It’s significant that Uday and Qusay seem to have been sold out by a member of their inner circle, who decided to place more credence in the rewards offered by the Americans than the threats of the Baathists. And wisely so."

Well said Mr. Frum.

Posted by: ColoradoConservative   2003-7-23 11:37:10 AM  

#9  Well, this is really a great day!
We find $60 million in cash in the house and pay a $30 million reward.
HELLS BELLS MEN, we made a PROFIT!!!!!!!
Won't the OMB be happy about this!!!!
I can see the commander of the operation getting the silver star with dollar sign cluster on this one.
And if we auction off either body parts or autopsy photos we might make even more profit.
Posted by: SOG475   2003-7-23 11:30:25 AM  

#8  Tell that asshat that the owner of said destroyed mansion is the informant who collected $30 million and is never coming back!

"You've turned in Uday and Qusay Hussein, had your house shot up, and collected $30 million. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to Disneyland!"

Micheal--As for Lofton and Ramirez, you're welcome! The Pirates are having a fire sale--anybody with talent must go!
Posted by: Dar   2003-7-23 10:24:22 AM  

#7  Just imagine how they will react when they go up for sale on EBay to cover the $30 million we owe...
Posted by: flash91   2003-7-23 10:00:08 AM  

#6  Besides Uday and Qusay, I suspect the only people upset at the news were the Democrat pretenders for the nomination next year.
Posted by: Douglas De Bono   2003-7-23 9:21:37 AM  

#5  Michael - ChiTrib headline: "Cubs Quagmire Looms"
Posted by: PD   2003-7-23 9:20:44 AM  

#4  CENTCOM briefing this morning reporting that #11, commander of Special Republican Gaurd captured. Developing..
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-7-23 9:08:41 AM  

#3  "Still, SOME in the US had hoped..."

"SOME Iraqis were delighted while others..."

" 'How can they do this?'" A man in the crowd (the 1,000?)...

Such hard-hitting imagery from, I'm sure, a J-school grad with no axe to grind.

Meanwhile, in my fantasy newspaper, it is reported that SOME Cub fans are happy about the acquisition of Lofton and Ramirez WHILE OTHERS question the wisdom of giving up promising minor leaguers in exchange for the two vetrans. ONE Cub fan in A bar was heard to mutter, "This trade COULD come back and haunt the Cubs in the next few years. It COULD create a groundswell of resentment to the Cubs' occupation of Wrigley Field and cause defections to the White Sox. I view this situation with trepidation since Mayor Daley, a devoted White Sox fan, MAY feel the time has come to raid the North Side of disaffected Cub fans, thus resulting in a diminished Cub fanbase. But only time will tell," he said profoundly, adding later that the root causes of this potential resentment MIGHT be traced to the Cub collapse of '69.
Posted by: Michael   2003-7-23 8:58:17 AM  

#2  Freakin' Al-Guardian....almost tossed my BBQ reading that. There is no equating the relief that the vast majority of Iraqis feel in seeing those punks get roasted. Mourners? Please, who in there right minds would give a flaming donut hole about someone mourning those two psychos (other than Al Guardian et al).
In other news: Our BBQ was quite successful and the brewskis chilled to perfection. A day well ended. Tomorrow, the hunt begins anew. God speed our troops. Tally-ho!
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2003-7-23 3:22:47 AM  

#1  ding dong the witch is dead!

Anybody hear about that poor woman lawyer that Uday had tortured repeatedly? He ripped her apart and drove her stark raving mad over years of abuse because she DARED to defend (and well) a young porter at a hotel and had refused entry to one of Uday's women when she was drunk (not knowing who she was).

She is now a broken, sad mental patient where once she was a highly intelligent and expert lawyer.
Posted by: Anon1   2003-7-23 3:21:09 AM  

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