:: blame the extended gestation.... ::

:: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 ::

Juan Cole * Informed Comment *:

"Saddam's trial is unlikely to be public, according to Iyad Alawi, member of the Interim Governing Council and head of the Iraqi National Accord (mainly ex-Baathist officers who cooperated in 1990s CIA plots against Saddam). Alawi made the remarks in an interview with the London-based al-Hayat newspaper. He said there would probably be no public trial because 'it is possible that he will mention names of states or persons to whom he gave money . . .' Asked if Saddam had admitted to smuggling money abroad, Alawi replied, 'He has begun to admit it. He has confessed to important things.' [Saddam is thought to have squirreled $30 bn. or more away in secret accounts overseas.]"

You could tell off the bat that there were underlying self preserving reasons for Bush to say that he thought the Iraqi's should try Saddam. Is that why we invaded and violated international law? Is that why we continued sanctions that strengthened Hussein by forcing Iraqi's to be totally dependent on him? We've obviously never thought Iraqi's knew how to handle things best, why start now? Death Penalty and running the trial in a manner far different from anything an international tribunal would look like; thats why.

:: Jim Nichols 12/30/2003 06:41:00 AM [+] ::
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