Article

2009-03-03 Iraq

Iraqi court acquits former top aide to Saddam Hussein

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Posted by Fred 2009-03-03 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Baath Party

#1 Tariq Aziz was, almost assuredly, not part of Saddam's "inner circle". Saddam wouldn't have trusted him with much because he wasn't from Saddam's tribe, he is a Christian, and he hung around with foreigners a lot.

Aziz was sort of like Baghdad Bob (in fact, didn't Baghdad Bob work for Aziz?). His job would have been making deals with foreigners and not having much say in domestic goings on. He would have been instrumental in the "oil for food" scandal, though.

Posted by crosspatch 2009-03-03 00:38|| 2009-03-03 00:38|| Front Page Top

#2 I didn't pursue it, but the word a few years back was that Aziz was implicated in the marsh Arabs case. That sounded odd from the start, but as I said I never followed up, as there was plenty to do with the other cases then under way.

Nice - I mean depressing - to see the standard distortion still at work. "Controversial" panel to whom? Self-dealing, failed, contemptible Euro & UN-judicial geeks who are paid by the week? Preening puerile purists? And defendants have been acquitted since the outset. Two were sprung in the opening case - Dujayl. The US advisors never thought they belonged in the dock, and the panel agreed in the end.

"Judicial fairness" and "independence" were not heretore evident in the tribunal's deliberations? Really? Evidence, please?

Contested elections, a free press, the first national trials for crimes against humanity in history, all in one of the world's most pathologically dysfunctional regions - made possible by the sacrifice and courageous integrity and skill of many in uniform (US and others), and a tiny handful of intrepid political leaders - yawn.

Nauseating.

Posted by Verlaine 2009-03-03 02:47|| 2009-03-03 02:47|| Front Page Top

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