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

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Flying The Flag

A new Iraqi flag, sans the three green stars of Saddam Hussein's Baath party, was hoisted over the Iraqi Cabinet building yesterday.

However, don't become too attached to it, it has only a one year life span, before it is altered again.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Prince Rebukes US

Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, waded into the Iraq fiasco in an interview with the International Herald Tribune. He criticised the US administration for failing to listen to advice from Britain on how to avoid problems following the war in Iraq.

He said that the war had led to a "healthy scepticism" in Britain towards what was said in Washington, noting that the US should have learned lessons from British colonial history.

Doubtless that will go down like a lead balloon in Washington!

Quote:

"..occasions when people in the UK would wish that those in responsible positions in the US might listen and learn from our experiences.

If you are looking at colonialism, if you are looking at operations on an international scale, if you are looking at understanding each other's culture, understanding how to operate in a military insurgency campaign - we have been through them all.

We've won some, lost some, drawn some. The fact is there is quite a lot of experience over here which is valid and should be listened to
."

American government officials refused to comment. An insider wisely told the Telegraph that it was not an area they would "want to touch with a bargepole".

The Prince is of course correct.

However, he is assuming that we really pushed our case hard at the time with Washington. After all, we only have Bliar's word for it that we made serious overtures about the post invasion strategy.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Re Baathification

Iraq's presidency council issued a law yesterday that will allow thousands of Saddam Hussein-era officials to return to government jobs.

The new law was passed by parliament on January 12. However, it was issued without the signature of the Sunni vice president, and the presidency council cited reservations and plans to seek changes in the bill.

The question is will the former officials feel safe enough to return to their old jobs?