Trial judge: "Hussein was not a dictator"

[zengrifter]

Trial judge: Hussein was not a dictator

POSTED: 8:53 a.m. EDT, September 14, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The chief judge in Saddam Hussein's genocide trial said Thursday that he does not believe Hussein was a dictator.

Judge Abdullah al-Amiri made the remark in a friendly exchange with the deposed leader, a day after the prosecution said the judge should step down because he is biased toward the defense. Hussein and his co-defendants are being tried on charges of committing atrocities against Kurds in northern Iraq nearly two decades ago.

...continued here - http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/....ap/index.html

[ranran]

What a pile of SH*T.

[jimbiggs]

Is anyone following the trial closely enough to make a prediction about how it might turn out? The guy is definately guilty of crimes, but will he be convicted?

[SystemsTrader]

Here's how the American government should solve the Iraq problem. Have Saddam be found not guilty, then announce because of this he will be reinstated as president of the country. Cut a deal with Saddam and have him be their puppet. He will regain control of the country and clean it up and the Americans can withdraw their troops. Will life under Saddam be bad for the people of Iraq? Sure it will but it won't be any worse then it is under the current situation. He will get control of all those religious wackos and provide at least some stability. LOL!

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by SystemsTrader

Here's how the American government should solve the Iraq problem. Have Saddam be found not guilty, then announce because of this he will be reinstated as president of the country. Cut a deal with Saddam and have him be their puppet. He will regain control of the country and clean it up and the Americans can withdraw their troops. Will life under Saddam be bad for the people of Iraq? Sure it will but it won't be any worse then it is under the current situation. He will get control of all those religious wackos and provide at least some stability. LOL!

As bizzare as that sounds, I've heard that it is an idea being considered. zg

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Saddam rejects Rumsfeld offer of release: Daily
Web posted at: 5/2/2005 6:56:3
Source ::: Agencies

JERUSALEM: US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld paid a secret visit to former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and offered him freedom and possible return to public life if he made a televised request to armed groups for a ceasefire with allied forces, a media report said.

Saddam promptly rejected the offer, Ynetnews reported quoting a London based Al Quds Al Arabi daily. The visit came during Rumsfeld’s visit to Iraq about two weeks ago and was known only to a few Iraqi officials in Jordan, the Arab daily reported quoting sources.

Some two weeks ago the British Telegraph had reported that Iraqi gunmen were offered a “deal” to halt all terror attacks in return for a reduced sentence for Saddam, likely to be sentenced to death.

xxx

Could Saddam Return to Power?
dreadpundit.blogspot.com

Writing for al-Jazeera, Sandy Shanks, with whom I've had my differences, proposes a distressing scenario that could come to pass if certain misguided elements in American society get their way. Shanks' scenario is propounded in a mock future news story within his editorial:

Baghdad, Sept 11, 2006 - Saddam Hussein, who was ousted from power by American and British forces during the Iraq War in 2003, has once again become the President of Iraq and declared his intentions to complete his seven-year term of office.

His return as the Iraqi leader came soon after the cessation of a very brief civil war between the elected government of Iraq and the predominantly Sunni resistance forces. The short-lived civil war was, in turn, preceded by the delayed withdrawal of American and British forces during the second week of August.

This is a result that would delight the hardcore Left and the Democratic Party leadership, as well as the journalists of the mainstream media, three interconnected groups that have given every indication that they care more about political power than they do about their country.

xxx

[zengrifter]

...after his defense lawyers storm out in protest. zg

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Saddam Thrown Out Of Court
Meanwhile, U.S. Commanders Continue To Cope With Burgeoning Violence

(CBS/AP) Saddam Hussein's lawyers walked out of his trial hearing Wednesday to protest against the changing of the chief judge and the deposed leader was ordered to leave the courtroom.

Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, a Shiite Muslim Arab, was presiding Wednesday in place of Abdullah al-Amiri, who was removed after he was accused of being too soft on the former Iraqi leader.

But when the session began with al-Khalifa in charge, the defense lawyers questioned the impartiality of the trial.

"We don't expect from this court established under the occupation authorities to be fair, so we decided to withdraw from this trial," defense lawyer Wadoud Fawzi told the court, reading a statement on behalf of the defense team.

"The decision to sack the judge at the orders of the government shows that this trial lacks the standards of a fair trial," added Fawzi.

...continued - http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n2025781.shtml

[hopson77]

You know, that actually sounds pretty good on its surface, and it would not at all surprise me if that hasn't been discussed in one shape or form.

But, as if our nation's credibility isn't already completely destroyed, having Saddam (neutered and friendly to us, even) in power in Iraq would be a total disaster. Why did we go to Iraq? WMD and Saddam.

Just saying.