Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, has said that he will not sign a death sentence for Saddam Hussein if Saddam is convicted. Talabani went on to say that he would resign, if the sentence was passed.
Talabani opposes the death penalty on principle, and said that he expects that Saddam will be convicted.
"When the death sentence is given to me, I will not sign it on principle ... and if it does pass, I will relieve myself of my post. I think a sentence will be passed on Saddam Hussein before my term ends,".
Talabani gave authority to his deputy to sign death sentences, on his behalf, for three men convicted of murder.
He may well do the same for Saddam.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Friday, August 26, 2005
Ba' athist Comeback
Saddam Hussein's Baath party is making a political comeback.
Seemingly, the Ba'athist movement has become a channel for Sunni Arab political expression.
Much like Britain's "New Labour", the Ba' ath party has had a political makeover. It is now referred to, by some, as the New Ba'ath party.
Colonel Steven Salazar, commander of the US brigade in Diyala, said:
"It's an organisation that has been developing in the last six months, if not longer.
They've held big party functions where they talk about their political future. But in the background, there are always small groups dedicated to violence,"
The Ba'ath have claimed responsibility for guerrilla attacks on US and government targets, and recently claimed responsibility for assassinating a Shia provincial council member.
Col Salazar said:
"If there's going to be a Ba'ath party, it's going to have to be a very different kind of party,".
However, the draft constitution prohibits the revival of "the Saddamist Ba'ath party".
Hence the need for an image makoever.
Seemingly, the Ba'athist movement has become a channel for Sunni Arab political expression.
Much like Britain's "New Labour", the Ba' ath party has had a political makeover. It is now referred to, by some, as the New Ba'ath party.
Colonel Steven Salazar, commander of the US brigade in Diyala, said:
"It's an organisation that has been developing in the last six months, if not longer.
They've held big party functions where they talk about their political future. But in the background, there are always small groups dedicated to violence,"
The Ba'ath have claimed responsibility for guerrilla attacks on US and government targets, and recently claimed responsibility for assassinating a Shia provincial council member.
Col Salazar said:
"If there's going to be a Ba'ath party, it's going to have to be a very different kind of party,".
However, the draft constitution prohibits the revival of "the Saddamist Ba'ath party".
Hence the need for an image makoever.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Saddam's New Photos
Three new photos of Saddam Hussein have been released by the Special Iraqi Tribunal investigating him.
The photos show Saddam being questioned by Chief Investigative Judge Raid Juhi.
They are the first pictures of him to appear since May, when the British tabloid Sun newspaper published photos of him doing his laundry in jail.
The latest pictures were taken on Tuesday.
The photos show Saddam being questioned by Chief Investigative Judge Raid Juhi.
They are the first pictures of him to appear since May, when the British tabloid Sun newspaper published photos of him doing his laundry in jail.
The latest pictures were taken on Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Saddam Drops Legal Team
Saddam Hussein has confirmed that he wants his legal team to be sacked.
He reportedly met with his lawyer and the chief judge, investigating charges against him, yesterday.
Khalil Dulaimi, Saddam's lawyer, said:
"The judge asked president Saddam Hussein about his family's statement that his legal team had been fired and he confirmed it,".
Dulaimi met with Saddam for four hours of talks with Saddam.
He reportedly met with his lawyer and the chief judge, investigating charges against him, yesterday.
Khalil Dulaimi, Saddam's lawyer, said:
"The judge asked president Saddam Hussein about his family's statement that his legal team had been fired and he confirmed it,".
Dulaimi met with Saddam for four hours of talks with Saddam.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Constitution Wrangle Continues
Iraq's parliament continues to debate its first constitution, since the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
A draft was presented to parliament, minutes before a new deadline ran out. However, there are a number of issues still unresolved.
Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hasani said that it was incomplete and could still be modified.
"Few issues remain to be settled and will be dealt with within three days," Hasani said, addressing MPs.
There is a determination to reach an agreement on all points ... All parties will work within the next three days to reach an agreement. We will meet in three days to finalise this issue."
Hasani said that there are three issues that still need to be sorted out.
"These points include federalism, and the way to form these (federal) regions ... the terminology used (in the de-Bathification process), whether to use the term Baath party or Saddam's Baath ..., the other issue is structuring of authority between the presidency, parliament and the government."
President Jalal Talabani said the three outstanding issues would be discussed by MPs:
"The big majority of it has been agreed but three articles remain. Now we will give a chance to members of the national assembly to look at it and I hope within three days these problems will be solved."
However, Sunni panelist Saleh al-Motlag told CNN:
"If the document does not have consensus it is illegal.
The document does not have a Sunni voice in it...it does not have the voice of Iraq. The document will be defeated in the referendum not just in the three Sunni provinces but all across Iraq."
Zalmay Khalilzad, US ambassador, said:
"We will work together with the members of the commission to broaden the support from the Sunni participants in the constitution process. It is absolutely vital for the stability of Iraq and for winning the war against insurgents that Sunnis see themselves in this new picture of new Iraq that is emerging."
Sunnis oppose a federal structure, because they believe that they will lose out on their "fair share" of Iraq's oil.
The risk is that Iraq decends into civil war, as the various groups become more entrenched in their views as to what the constitution should say.
A draft was presented to parliament, minutes before a new deadline ran out. However, there are a number of issues still unresolved.
Parliament speaker Hajim al-Hasani said that it was incomplete and could still be modified.
"Few issues remain to be settled and will be dealt with within three days," Hasani said, addressing MPs.
There is a determination to reach an agreement on all points ... All parties will work within the next three days to reach an agreement. We will meet in three days to finalise this issue."
Hasani said that there are three issues that still need to be sorted out.
"These points include federalism, and the way to form these (federal) regions ... the terminology used (in the de-Bathification process), whether to use the term Baath party or Saddam's Baath ..., the other issue is structuring of authority between the presidency, parliament and the government."
President Jalal Talabani said the three outstanding issues would be discussed by MPs:
"The big majority of it has been agreed but three articles remain. Now we will give a chance to members of the national assembly to look at it and I hope within three days these problems will be solved."
However, Sunni panelist Saleh al-Motlag told CNN:
"If the document does not have consensus it is illegal.
The document does not have a Sunni voice in it...it does not have the voice of Iraq. The document will be defeated in the referendum not just in the three Sunni provinces but all across Iraq."
Zalmay Khalilzad, US ambassador, said:
"We will work together with the members of the commission to broaden the support from the Sunni participants in the constitution process. It is absolutely vital for the stability of Iraq and for winning the war against insurgents that Sunnis see themselves in this new picture of new Iraq that is emerging."
Sunnis oppose a federal structure, because they believe that they will lose out on their "fair share" of Iraq's oil.
The risk is that Iraq decends into civil war, as the various groups become more entrenched in their views as to what the constitution should say.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Saddam's Letter
Here is the text of a letter which Saddam Hussein allegedly sent to a Jordanian friend, via the International Committee of the Red Cross, on 16th August.
"My greetings to the Arab people of brotherly Jordan and to whoever asks about us in our dignified and glorified nation; my soul and my existence is to be sacrificed for our precious Palestine and our beloved, patient and suffering Iraq.
Life is meaningless without the considerations of faith, love and inherited history in our nation.
It is not much for a man to support his nation with his soul and all he commands because it deserves it since it has given us life in the name of God and allowed us to inherit the best.
My brother, love your people, love Palestine, love your nation, long live Palestine."
"My greetings to the Arab people of brotherly Jordan and to whoever asks about us in our dignified and glorified nation; my soul and my existence is to be sacrificed for our precious Palestine and our beloved, patient and suffering Iraq.
Life is meaningless without the considerations of faith, love and inherited history in our nation.
It is not much for a man to support his nation with his soul and all he commands because it deserves it since it has given us life in the name of God and allowed us to inherit the best.
My brother, love your people, love Palestine, love your nation, long live Palestine."
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Jobs For The Boys
It seems that whilst the fate of some of Saddam Hussein's former associates does not look too bright, others are doing reasonably well for themselves.
Sadoon al-Zubaydi, the favourite translator of Saddam Hussein who conveyed Saddam's words in hundreds of meetings, is now helping to write the new Iraqi constitution.
His work on the constitution is as a result of a government gesture to disaffected Sunni Muslims.
He is critical of the current occupation, saying:
"I believe that as long as we are under occupation, everything is in question," he said recently. (The political process) may be legitimate, it may be partly legitimate or it may be totally illegitimate, but it is in question."
Al-Zubaydi is a leader of the National Dialogue Council, a group jostling for leadership of the Sunni minority, and was elected at a conference as one of 10 permitted expert advisors.
He is critical of the way that Saddam is being held:
"He should not be treated like an animal in a zoo," .
Adding, as if attending a job interview:
"I have always been known as a true professional who attended to his job. I am an intellectual and a diplomat with a wealth of experience that should not be left aside."
It's a funny old world!
Sadoon al-Zubaydi, the favourite translator of Saddam Hussein who conveyed Saddam's words in hundreds of meetings, is now helping to write the new Iraqi constitution.
His work on the constitution is as a result of a government gesture to disaffected Sunni Muslims.
He is critical of the current occupation, saying:
"I believe that as long as we are under occupation, everything is in question," he said recently. (The political process) may be legitimate, it may be partly legitimate or it may be totally illegitimate, but it is in question."
Al-Zubaydi is a leader of the National Dialogue Council, a group jostling for leadership of the Sunni minority, and was elected at a conference as one of 10 permitted expert advisors.
He is critical of the way that Saddam is being held:
"He should not be treated like an animal in a zoo," .
Adding, as if attending a job interview:
"I have always been known as a true professional who attended to his job. I am an intellectual and a diplomat with a wealth of experience that should not be left aside."
It's a funny old world!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
An Ominous Sign
In an ominous sign for Saddam Hussein, the first executions in Iraq since the toppling of Saddam are due to be carried out in the next few days.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said:
"The president (Jalal Talabani) has signed three death sentences and the next few days will see the first executions in Kut,".
Three members of the Al-Qaeda-linked group Ansar al-Sunna were sentenced to death in May; this verdict was approved by the Supreme Council for Justice, the highest judicial authority in Iraq.
These are the first death sentences to be announced by Jaafari's government, since capital punishment was suspended by US authorities following the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Amnesty International have condemned the death sentences.
Quote:
"We condemned the passing of death sentences in Iraq before 2003, and we also condemn them now,".
"In those cases the charges are so serious and the evidence so clear that quite a few people from the old regime (in Iraq) will probably face the death sentence,".
Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said:
"The president (Jalal Talabani) has signed three death sentences and the next few days will see the first executions in Kut,".
Three members of the Al-Qaeda-linked group Ansar al-Sunna were sentenced to death in May; this verdict was approved by the Supreme Council for Justice, the highest judicial authority in Iraq.
These are the first death sentences to be announced by Jaafari's government, since capital punishment was suspended by US authorities following the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Amnesty International have condemned the death sentences.
Quote:
"We condemned the passing of death sentences in Iraq before 2003, and we also condemn them now,".
"In those cases the charges are so serious and the evidence so clear that quite a few people from the old regime (in Iraq) will probably face the death sentence,".
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
New TV Show
A new TV show commissioned by Sky, called "Terrible Tastes of the Great Dictators", will look at Saddam Hussein's choice of decor.
The programme will feature a guided tour around his palaces, and will focus on his home furnishings including a gold-plated toilet with matching gold toilet brush.
The programme will also feature an interview with Saddam's interior designer, who was ordered to build him a palm tree made of crystal and to write a copy of the Koran in Saddam's blood.
The Sky One show will also feature the homes of Chairman Mao and Adolf Hitler.
The programme will feature a guided tour around his palaces, and will focus on his home furnishings including a gold-plated toilet with matching gold toilet brush.
The programme will also feature an interview with Saddam's interior designer, who was ordered to build him a palm tree made of crystal and to write a copy of the Koran in Saddam's blood.
The Sky One show will also feature the homes of Chairman Mao and Adolf Hitler.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Family Can't Fire Lawyers
The Iraqi tribunal, trying Saddam Hussein for war crimes, has blocked Saddam's family from firing his 2000 strong defence team.
The tribunal, not unreasonably, say that only Saddam can fire his lawyers.
Last week a lawyer acting for Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghd, said that the family had fired the team; and would build a better one.
The tribunal responded by letter, saying:
"We want to clarify some issues relating to the request to revoke all powers of attorney. We are very surprised by such unlawful acts. The exclusive right to empower any lawyer or to cancel any power of attorney is for defendant Saddam Hussein,".
Raghd wrote to the tribunal, pointing out that Saddam was not able to make such decisions freely himself.
Quote:
"The family of the president is free to choose whoever it wants to defend him and to remove whoever it wants for as long as he is denied freedom of choice,".
Maybe a statement from Saddam would clarify his wishes?
The tribunal, not unreasonably, say that only Saddam can fire his lawyers.
Last week a lawyer acting for Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghd, said that the family had fired the team; and would build a better one.
The tribunal responded by letter, saying:
"We want to clarify some issues relating to the request to revoke all powers of attorney. We are very surprised by such unlawful acts. The exclusive right to empower any lawyer or to cancel any power of attorney is for defendant Saddam Hussein,".
Raghd wrote to the tribunal, pointing out that Saddam was not able to make such decisions freely himself.
Quote:
"The family of the president is free to choose whoever it wants to defend him and to remove whoever it wants for as long as he is denied freedom of choice,".
Maybe a statement from Saddam would clarify his wishes?
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