Iraqi tribunal sentences Saddam to hang
By HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer 27 minutes ago
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced Sunday to hang for crimes against humanity in the 1982 killings of 148 people in a single Shiite town, as the ousted leader, trembling and defiant, shouted "God is great!"
As he, his half brother and another senior official in his regime were convicted and sentenced to death by the Iraqi High Tribunal, Saddam yelled out, "Long live the people and death to their enemies. Long live the glorious nation, and death to its enemies!"
In a surprising moment of class, Saddam issued this statement...
Later, his lawyer said the former dictator had called on Iraqis to reject sectarian violence and refrain from revenge against U.S. forces.
I would figure Saddam to be much more of a sore loser than that, calling for all sorts of retaliation...
As for the trial itself, I'm sure it was a relative sham, and all, but I am not interested in Ramsey Clark's complaints or anyone else who is going to bitch about the process. Saddam IS getting no less than he deserves. I just think the timing is suspect to say the least.
I'm sure the scheduling of Saddam's death sentence had absolutely nothing to do with Tuesday's election here in the U.S. I mean, seriously, Sunday, November 5 at 8:00 a.m.? What are the odds?
Here's hoping voters see this for the cynical ploy that it is.
2 comments:
The timing has Karl Rove's dirty paw prints all over it. There has been a steady list of revelations going back three months, where Bush & Co. and/or congressional Republicans grab a news cycle and hold on for as long as they can.
This is a cynical ploy to keep people nervous and afraid about foreign threats and domestic dangers, and distract from the majority of issues that polls indicate have Republicans at odds with most Americans.
As Republicans see it, every news cylce they can control benefits them two ways, at least.
Ploy or not, I just don't see this helping the Republicans much, and even some hard-core Rs interviewed over the weekend and this morning were skeptical that this is of any benefit to the Republicans over all. We already caught him. This verdict was all but a foregone conclusion. It is completely unreflective (is that a word) of what is happening in Iraq, and may, as some folks in Iraq point out, actually exacerbate the problems over there.
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