The Russian Liberal Democratic Party's deputy, Alexei Mitrofanov, believes that despite pleas to spare Saddam Hussein from the death sentence, he has no chances of dying from natural causes because he knows too much.
Quote:
"Hussein is a clear and present danger to the U.S. Republican Party. Information indicating that Hussein had ties with that political force during the last century may come in handy for the Democrats during the upcoming presidential election in the U.S.
Besides, some members of the Bush family haven't yet held the post of U.S. president. Jeb Bush, George Bush's brother, may be running for president this time. Therefore, the Republicans will try to get rid of Saddam ASAP."
Whilst it may be true that the Republicans would like to be rid of Saddam, it is also true that given the disaster of Iraq they would also like to be well rid of the Bush family too.
Jeb Bush has not a chance in hell of becoming the Presidential candidate for the Republcian party.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
US Trapped In Iraq
In a cruel twist of fate, it seems that the US is as much a prisoner in Iraq as Saddam Hussein is.
That at least is the view of outgoing head of the UN Kofi Annan, who said that the US is effectively "trapped" in Iraq, with the prospect of staying in the country as problematic as pulling out.
Quote:
"The United States in a way is trapped in Iraq.
It cannot stay and it cannot leave. There are those who maintain that its presence is a problem and there are those who say that if it leaves precipitously, the situation will get worse."
Now remind me again, who was it said "Mission Accomplished!"?
That at least is the view of outgoing head of the UN Kofi Annan, who said that the US is effectively "trapped" in Iraq, with the prospect of staying in the country as problematic as pulling out.
Quote:
"The United States in a way is trapped in Iraq.
It cannot stay and it cannot leave. There are those who maintain that its presence is a problem and there are those who say that if it leaves precipitously, the situation will get worse."
Now remind me again, who was it said "Mission Accomplished!"?
Monday, November 20, 2006
Trial Verdict Unsound
Human Rights Watch has driven another nail into the credibility of the "coffin" of Saddam Hussein's trial. They have stated that the trial was "fundamentally unfair", and that the death sentence he received earlier was "indefensible".
The damning indictment comes in the form of a 97 page review of the trial. In which they state that the trial:
"was marred by so many procedural and substantive flaws that the verdict is unsound."
The report calls upon the Iraqi tribunal to overturn the verdict, and its death sentence on Saddam.
Unsurprisingly the Iraqi government has rejected the report.
The report notes that the prosecution undermined several guarantees necessary to a fair trial under international law, including; the right to an independent and impartial court, the presumption of innocence, the ability to prepare a defence and the right to cross-examine witnesses.
Nehal Bhuta, a lawyer with the group's International Justice Program, in a statement accompanying the report said:
"Unless the Iraqi government allows experienced international judges and lawyers to participate directly, it's unlikely the court can fairly conduct other trials."
The report accuses the Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, of prejudicing the outcome of the trial by declaring Saddam guilty before the trial.
Quote:
"While the trial of someone as notorious as Saddam Hussein will inevitably be accompanied by strong opinions and public discussion as to his guilt or otherwise, public authorities and in particular leading political figures are not relieved of their obligation to refrain from prejudicing the outcome of the trial.
In creating an environment in which judges feel intense pressure to be seen as dealing severely with the accused, such behavior undermines the guarantee of presumption of innocence at trial."
To replace one unjust system (as under Saddam) with another is hardly progress, nor should it warrant the exaltation "Mission Accomplished!".
The damning indictment comes in the form of a 97 page review of the trial. In which they state that the trial:
"was marred by so many procedural and substantive flaws that the verdict is unsound."
The report calls upon the Iraqi tribunal to overturn the verdict, and its death sentence on Saddam.
Unsurprisingly the Iraqi government has rejected the report.
The report notes that the prosecution undermined several guarantees necessary to a fair trial under international law, including; the right to an independent and impartial court, the presumption of innocence, the ability to prepare a defence and the right to cross-examine witnesses.
Nehal Bhuta, a lawyer with the group's International Justice Program, in a statement accompanying the report said:
"Unless the Iraqi government allows experienced international judges and lawyers to participate directly, it's unlikely the court can fairly conduct other trials."
The report accuses the Iraqi leaders, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, of prejudicing the outcome of the trial by declaring Saddam guilty before the trial.
Quote:
"While the trial of someone as notorious as Saddam Hussein will inevitably be accompanied by strong opinions and public discussion as to his guilt or otherwise, public authorities and in particular leading political figures are not relieved of their obligation to refrain from prejudicing the outcome of the trial.
In creating an environment in which judges feel intense pressure to be seen as dealing severely with the accused, such behavior undermines the guarantee of presumption of innocence at trial."
To replace one unjust system (as under Saddam) with another is hardly progress, nor should it warrant the exaltation "Mission Accomplished!".
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