Tariq Aziz, Saddam Hussein's trusted number two, may have only "weeks to live".
Aziz has a blood clot on the brain, a common cause of stroke.
His lawyer, Badia Aref, said:
"He cannot walk properly. His situation is very bad.
He is being given 13 pills a day for blood pressure, diabetes and other illnesses to prevent strokes. If you look at him you would say that he has only a few weeks to live."
He kept on repeating one thing, 'I want to see my family, I want to see my children'."
Aziz surrendered to US forces in April 2003 and is in jail. He has been quizzed by the tribunal trying Saddam for war crimes.
Prosecutors had hoped to persuade Aziz to testify against Saddam, in return for freedom for him and his family in Europe.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Terror Training Camps
It is reported that Saddam Hussein trained thousands of radical Islamic terrorists at camps in Iraq, over the four years immediately preceding the U.S. invasion.
That is based on documents and photographs recovered by the U.S. military in postwar Iraq.
The secret training allegedly took place primarily at camps in Samarra, Ramadi, and Salman Pak.
It is estimated that around 8000 terrorists were trained during this period. Some of these returned to Iraq, and are now responsible for the daily carnage that takes place in that most unhappy country.
The photographs and documents on Iraqi training camps come from a collection of some 2 million "exploitable items", captured in postwar Iraq and Afghanistan. So far only 50000 (2.5%) have been examined.
That is based on documents and photographs recovered by the U.S. military in postwar Iraq.
The secret training allegedly took place primarily at camps in Samarra, Ramadi, and Salman Pak.
It is estimated that around 8000 terrorists were trained during this period. Some of these returned to Iraq, and are now responsible for the daily carnage that takes place in that most unhappy country.
The photographs and documents on Iraqi training camps come from a collection of some 2 million "exploitable items", captured in postwar Iraq and Afghanistan. So far only 50000 (2.5%) have been examined.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Family Split?
Saddam Hussein's lawyers have claimed that American officials have been trying to turn Barazan Ibrahim, Saddam's half-brother, against him.
Saddam's lawyers calim that Ibrahim told the Higher Iraqi Tribunal that the U.S. offered him a high government position in Iraq, if he testified against Saddam.
The lawyers say Ibrahim rejected the deal.
Saddam's chief lawyer says Ibrahim told the court America offered him "a senior political post in return for testifying against the president."
Ibrahim is also on trial for war crimes.
Saddam's lawyers calim that Ibrahim told the Higher Iraqi Tribunal that the U.S. offered him a high government position in Iraq, if he testified against Saddam.
The lawyers say Ibrahim rejected the deal.
Saddam's chief lawyer says Ibrahim told the court America offered him "a senior political post in return for testifying against the president."
Ibrahim is also on trial for war crimes.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Calls For Impeachment of Blair
General Sir Michael Rose, a former UN commander in Bosnia, is quoted as saying:
"I think the politicians should be held to account ... my view is that Blair should be impeached.
That would prevent the politicians treating quite so carelessly the subject of taking a country into war."
He noted that a high-profile resignation of a senior armed forces officer, before the start of the March 2003 conflict, may also have made the British Government think twice before sending troops to the Gulf.
Quote:
"I would not have gone to war on such flimsy grounds".
The comments will be aired on British TV's Channel 4 this Friday.
Martin Bell, BBC television's former war correspondent made the film - Iraq: The Failure of War.
Bell is quoted as saying:
"Ordering the armed forces to war is the most serious decision any government takes. On Iraq it was taken with a degree of nonchalance bordering on negligence."
The failure in Iraq has not been so much the policy of pro-active regime change, but the lack of planning and effective reconstruction in the aftermath of the regime change.
"I think the politicians should be held to account ... my view is that Blair should be impeached.
That would prevent the politicians treating quite so carelessly the subject of taking a country into war."
He noted that a high-profile resignation of a senior armed forces officer, before the start of the March 2003 conflict, may also have made the British Government think twice before sending troops to the Gulf.
Quote:
"I would not have gone to war on such flimsy grounds".
The comments will be aired on British TV's Channel 4 this Friday.
Martin Bell, BBC television's former war correspondent made the film - Iraq: The Failure of War.
Bell is quoted as saying:
"Ordering the armed forces to war is the most serious decision any government takes. On Iraq it was taken with a degree of nonchalance bordering on negligence."
The failure in Iraq has not been so much the policy of pro-active regime change, but the lack of planning and effective reconstruction in the aftermath of the regime change.
Death By Firing Squad
Saddam Hussein has made it known, via his lawyer, that he prefers to be shot by a firing squad instead of being hanged if sentenced to death by the court trying him for war crimes.
Issam Ghazzawi said that Saddam told him and Ramsey Clark:
"Threatening me with death doesn't mean anything. I don't care less. The life of any one Iraqi is no less valuable than mine. I am the commander-in-chief. I prefer it to be by firing squad.
I'm not afraid of death. Of course I'm not guilty, but I know they want me dead."
He then went on to add:
"I'm fighting against US tyranny on behalf of Iraqis, Arabs, all the people of the world. The US will not be able to formulate a new world. They tried in Iraq and failed badly, so by standing against President George W Bush we are protecting other countries and regions of the world. Now the US will think a thousand times before daring to attack another country."
I wonder now if it wouldn't have been better if Saddam had been shot, "resisting arrest", when he was captured?
Views anyone?
Issam Ghazzawi said that Saddam told him and Ramsey Clark:
"Threatening me with death doesn't mean anything. I don't care less. The life of any one Iraqi is no less valuable than mine. I am the commander-in-chief. I prefer it to be by firing squad.
I'm not afraid of death. Of course I'm not guilty, but I know they want me dead."
He then went on to add:
"I'm fighting against US tyranny on behalf of Iraqis, Arabs, all the people of the world. The US will not be able to formulate a new world. They tried in Iraq and failed badly, so by standing against President George W Bush we are protecting other countries and regions of the world. Now the US will think a thousand times before daring to attack another country."
I wonder now if it wouldn't have been better if Saddam had been shot, "resisting arrest", when he was captured?
Views anyone?
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