Saddam Was No Dictator

Judge Abdullah al-Amiri caused a degree of controversy in yesterday's proceedings at the trial of Saddam Hussein, when he told Saddam that he was not a dictator.

Quote:

"You were not a dictator.

However, the people or the individuals and officials surrounding you created a dictator [out of you], it was not you in particular.

It happens all over the world."

Saddam, clearly moved, bowed his head and said:

"Thank you."

Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish member of parliament, was not impressed and said:

"If Saddam isn't a dictator as he says, then there's never been a dictatorship in the world.

This... is against the truth. It angers the victims and hurts their feelings."

Mr al-Amiri has already been accused by the prosecution of bias. It should be noted that he was a member of Saddam's Ba'ath party, and served as a prosecuting judge in a criminal court under Saddam's regime.

During yesterday's session, the court heard testimony from Abdullah Mohammad Hussein, a villager from Sida near the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya.

Quote:

"I have lost eight of my family members by the attack of the Iraqi army on my village in 1988."

He alleged that his family were taken away by Iraqi soldiers in the Anfal campaign.

"My mother was released years later and she told me that the bodies of my wife and two of my sons were found in a mass grave in Hatra south of Mosul."

He noted that he had met Saddam:

"I have met Saddam Hussein after I submitted a request. He asked what I wanted. But when I told him that I had lost my family in Sidr village, he replied 'Shut up. Your family is gone in the Anfal'."

Saddam retorted:

"Why did you try to meet me when you knew I was a dictator?"

It was at this point that the judge made his comments.

The trial has now been adjourned until Monday, for "technical reasons".

Judge Accused of Bias

Munqith al-Faroon, the chief prosecutor in the ongoing trial of Saddam Hussein, has called for Judge Abdullah al-Amiri to stand down. Faroon claims that the judge is biased towards Saddam.

Faroon said that the defendants had "gone too far", threatening witnesses and making political statements.

Quote:

"Defendants have gone too far, with unacceptable expressions and words. Defendants have uttered clear threats.

The chief prosecutor's office requests the judge step down from this case."

Judge Abdullah al-Amiri needless to say has rejected the request, saying that his approach was based on fairness and 25 years' experience.

Judge Amiri said:

"The judge should co-ordinate and make peace so nobody takes advantage of his fairness... I have been working in the judicial system for the past 25 years."

Yesterday Saddam Hussein threatened one of the witnesses' lawyers, accusing him of being an agent of "Iranians and Zionists" the saying "we will crush his head".

The trial continues.

Compensation Demanded

Ghafour Hassan Abdullah, a Kurdish villager, testified yesterday in Saddam Hussein's trial that he left behind his mother and two sisters as he evaded a 1988 attack by Saddam Hussein's forces.

It was only some years later, that he said that he found their identity cards in a mass grave.

Ghafour Hassan Abdullah said:

"At night, I heard the screaming of women and children."

He then went on to exclaim:

"Congratulations! You are in a cage, Saddam."

Saddam claims that the crackdown was directed against Kurdish guerrillas who were allied with Iran.

Abdullah is demanding compensation for the loss of his family.

Saddam accused Kurdish witnesses of creating ethnic divisions, by alleging chemical attacks and mass arrests in their villages during the Anfal crackdown.

The trial continues.

Is The World Safer Without Saddam?

Senator Jay Rockefeller, US Democrat Senator for West Virginia, set the cat amongst the pigeons yesterday in an interview with CBS TV.

Rockefeller said that the world would be better off today if the United States had never invaded Iraq, even if it meant that Saddam Hussein would still be running Iraq.

CBS asked the follow-up: Did Rockefeller stand by that view, even if it meant that Saddam Hussein could still be in power if the United States didn't invade?

Answer from the senator: "Yes."

Saddam Hussein's Trial Resumes

Saddam Hussein's second trial, on charges of genocide in connection with a crackdown on Kurds, resumes today.

Saddam and his co-defendants face the death penalty for the killings of thousands of Kurds during the Anfal campaign in the 1980s.

Toady is also the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States, which were used as the causa bella against Saddam by the Bush administration.

Ironically, as Iraq now lurches ever closer to civil war, a U.S. Senate Intelligence report now states that no link has been found between Saddam and al-Qaida.