The Trial of Saddam Hussein and The Fallout of The War

The Trial of Saddam Hussein

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The fallout in the Middle East from the regime change in Iraq

Thursday, August 31, 2006

The Truth Dawns

Address by Mayor Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson, Washington Square Salt Lake City, Utah on August 30 2006.

Extract:

We are here to demand: "Give us the truth!"

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

South Park The Movie

During the Edinburgh festival, Matt Stone hosting a TV festival's "South Park Masterclass" told the audience that Saddam Hussein has been subjected to "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" whilst in jail.

This is the animated feature-length film, in which Saddam is portrayed as Satan's selfish and meanspirited gay lover.

Seemingly, Saddam is forced to watch the movie "repeatedly" by the US Marines guarding him.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Trader Fights Extradition

Dr John Irving, a British oil trader, is fighting extradition to the USA on charges of allegedly paying kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime.

Should Dr Irving be extradited, and convicted, he faces up to 62 years in prison; he denies the charges.

Dr Irving's solicitor, Andrew Preston, has asked the Serious Fraud Office and the Crown Prosecution Service to examine charges laid down in a federal indictment.

He wants the charges to be investigated in Britain, rather than face extradition. In the US he may be denied bail, and held in a high security prison.

The extradition request made by the US is under the same controversial law as the NatWest Three, who are awaiting trial in Houston.

The law has been criticised as it was originally drafted to fight terrorism, now it is being used against alleged "white collar" crime.

Dr Irving is accused of assisting in the illegal payment of millions of dollars to Iraqi officials, in exchange for deals to buy discounted oil.

Dr Irving is the only Briton to have been indicted for corrupt behaviour under the UN's Oil-for-Food programme.

It is alleged that Dr Irving was working for Bayoil, a US oil trading company, and sent faxes to Iraq containing market information between 1997 and 2003. He is accused of paying inflated commissions to oil dealers in Iraq, while knowing that some of the money was being paid to the Iraqi regime. The indictment alleges that Dr Irving was one of those responsible for diverting funds from the Oil-for-Food programme.

Monday, August 28, 2006

Iraq Had Nothing To Do With 9/11

In case you were wondering, Bush now admits that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.

President Bush was last week explaining how the attacks of 9/11 inspired his "freedom agenda" and the attacks on Iraq until a reporter, Ken Herman of Cox News, interrupted to ask what Iraq had to do with 9/11.

"Nothing", Bush answered.

To justify the war, Bush informed Congress on March 19, 2003 that acting against Iraq was consistent with "continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organisations, including those nations, organisations, or persons who planned, authorised, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001."

QUESTION: A lot of the consequences you mentioned for pulling out seem like maybe they never would have been there if we hadn't gone in. How do you square all of that?

BUSH: I square it because imagine a world in which you had Saddam Hussein, who had the capacity to make a weapon of mass destruction, who was paying suiciders to kill innocent life, who had relations with Zarqawi.

You know, I've heard this theory about, you know, everything was just fine until we arrived [in Iraq] and — you know, the stir-up-the-hornet's-nest theory. It just doesn't hold water, as far as I'm concerned.

The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East. They were..

QUESTION: What did Iraq have to do with that?

BUSH: What did Iraq have to do with what?

QUESTION: The attacks upon the World Trade Centre.

BUSH: Nothing. . . . .Except for it's part of — and nobody's ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a — Iraq — the lesson of September the 11th is: Take threats before they fully materialise..

Watch the clip here "Nothing"