Kamil Abu al-Hail, an Iraqi ex-MP, accused the 15 aides of Saddam Hussein of crimes against humanity has said he was falsely imprisoned for months.
Kamil Abu al-Hail said he had been held at a prison in Baghdad, where hundreds were beaten and tortured daily.
The defendants are on trial for allegedly helping to suppress a Shia uprising after the 1991 Gulf War.
Kamil Abu al-Hail said that he had been arrested after arriving in Baghdad to attend a parliamentary session in the aftermath of the uprising, and taken to al-Radwaniya prison.
Quote:
"I heard screams of pain as prisoners were beaten and tortured.
At the end of the day, I could see people being carried out on blankets soaked with blood. They could not walk because of the harsh torture."
Mr Abu al-Hail was released several months later, after receiving a presidential pardon.
Quote:
"I was dismissed from the parliament. My cotton factory and my house were destroyed by the shelling from the army."
The Shaaban Intifada (Uprising) started in March 1991 as defeated Iraqi troops fled back to southern Iraq after US-led forces took control of Kuwait.
Many Shia blame the US for the uprising's failure, as it came to a ceasefire agreement with the Iraqi government and did not intervene.
The trial continues.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Chemical Ali On Trial
Ali Hassan al-Majid, known as "Chemical Ali", is on trial again in Baghdad together with 14 other aides of Saddam Hussein. They are charged with the suppression of a Shia uprising after the 1991 Gulf War.
This is the third trial held by the Iraq High Tribunal.
Majid and two other defendants have already been sentenced to death, in an earlier trial, for crimes against the Kurdish population.
The uprising happened when the then President of the US, George Bush senior, had called on the Iraqi people and the military to oust Saddam.
However, Bush chose not to cross the border into Iraq and Saddam was able to launch a counter-attack with tanks and helicopters.
Bush senior argued that while he hoped a popular revolt would topple Saddam, he did not want to see the break-up of the Iraqi state.
It is therefore somewhat ironic that the actions of his son, by invading Iraq, have most likely brought about the break up of Iraq.
This is the third trial held by the Iraq High Tribunal.
Majid and two other defendants have already been sentenced to death, in an earlier trial, for crimes against the Kurdish population.
The uprising happened when the then President of the US, George Bush senior, had called on the Iraqi people and the military to oust Saddam.
However, Bush chose not to cross the border into Iraq and Saddam was able to launch a counter-attack with tanks and helicopters.
Bush senior argued that while he hoped a popular revolt would topple Saddam, he did not want to see the break-up of the Iraqi state.
It is therefore somewhat ironic that the actions of his son, by invading Iraq, have most likely brought about the break up of Iraq.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cheney Speaks Out Against Invasion of Iraq
Cheney explains why invading Iraq was a very bad idea (1994).
Quote:
"..how many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth? Our judgment was, not very many.."
Plus ca change!
Quote:
"..how many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth? Our judgment was, not very many.."
Plus ca change!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
AWB Bill Passed
The Australian lower house of parliament has passed a bill that will punish those who break UN sanctions. It is ten years since allegations first surfaced that AWB might have been bribing Saddam Hussein.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said:
"I reject the suggestion the government has been slow in its response to the threat of money laundering or terrorist financing.
The government, of course, remains committed to ensuring that Australian businesses uphold our international obligations in relation to trade sanctions and combating foreign bribery.
Contravention of UN sanctions and bribery of foreign officials will not be tolerated."
AWB's $300M kickbacks to Saddam were uncovered after the government set up the Cole Commission.
The bill adds a new offence to the 1945 Charter of the United Nations Act which makes it illegal to break an Australian law which enforces UN sanctions, and creates a separate criminal offence for providing false or misleading information relating to sanctions.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said:
"I reject the suggestion the government has been slow in its response to the threat of money laundering or terrorist financing.
The government, of course, remains committed to ensuring that Australian businesses uphold our international obligations in relation to trade sanctions and combating foreign bribery.
Contravention of UN sanctions and bribery of foreign officials will not be tolerated."
AWB's $300M kickbacks to Saddam were uncovered after the government set up the Cole Commission.
The bill adds a new offence to the 1945 Charter of the United Nations Act which makes it illegal to break an Australian law which enforces UN sanctions, and creates a separate criminal offence for providing false or misleading information relating to sanctions.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Was Saddam Tipped Off?
The prosecution of Oscar S. Wyatt Jr., a Texas businessman accused of being involved in the Iraqi oil scandal, alleged that he told the Iraqi government crucial details of the impending 2003 American invasion of Iraq.
Lawyers for Wyatt said that the allegations, contained in an Iraqi official's diary, were highly prejudicial and irrelevant and should be kept out of his upcoming trial.
Quote:
"This document essentially alleges that Wyatt has committed the deplorable crime of treason and aided an enemy of the United States."
Wyatt is charged with conspiring to pay millions in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime, to win contracts under the United Nations' oil-for-food program in Iraq.
The statements about him were contained in a diary kept by an employee of Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation. The diary suggests Wyatt notified the Iraqi government that the United States would bomb Iraq, when it would invade Iraq and how many soldiers would be sent.
Wyatt has pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to go to trial in early September.
Lawyers for Wyatt said that the allegations, contained in an Iraqi official's diary, were highly prejudicial and irrelevant and should be kept out of his upcoming trial.
Quote:
"This document essentially alleges that Wyatt has committed the deplorable crime of treason and aided an enemy of the United States."
Wyatt is charged with conspiring to pay millions in kickbacks to Saddam Hussein's regime, to win contracts under the United Nations' oil-for-food program in Iraq.
The statements about him were contained in a diary kept by an employee of Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation. The diary suggests Wyatt notified the Iraqi government that the United States would bomb Iraq, when it would invade Iraq and how many soldiers would be sent.
Wyatt has pleaded not guilty, and is scheduled to go to trial in early September.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Chemical Ali Faces Another Trial
Saddam Hussein's cousin known as "Chemical Ali", and 14 other defendants, will face charges next week in Iraq's third trial against former regime officials.
Prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi said that the trial will begin on August 21st. Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam's cousin and the former defence minister, will be among the defendants. This trial will commence whilst Ali awaits a decision on his death sentence appeal in a separate case.
The charges include genocide, mass murder and crimes against humanity and the defendants will face a possible death sentence if convicted.
The chief judge will be Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, who also presided over the Anfal trial, and the chief prosecutor will be Mahdi Abdul-Amir.
Prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi said that the trial will begin on August 21st. Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam's cousin and the former defence minister, will be among the defendants. This trial will commence whilst Ali awaits a decision on his death sentence appeal in a separate case.
The charges include genocide, mass murder and crimes against humanity and the defendants will face a possible death sentence if convicted.
The chief judge will be Mohammed Oreibi al-Khalifa, who also presided over the Anfal trial, and the chief prosecutor will be Mahdi Abdul-Amir.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Surge Likely To Fail
British MP's have questioned the likelihood of Presidents Bush's surge strategy actually succeeding.
A report by the Commons foreign affairs committee concluded:
"It is too early to provide a definitive assessment of the US 'surge' but it does not look likely to succeed.
We believe that the success of this strategy will ultimately ride on whether Iraq's politicians are able to reach agreement on a number of key issues."
In other words, the fate if Iraq is in the hands of the Iraqi politicians. Unfortunately, the current Prime Minister of Iraq is failing miserably; as such the future looks bleak.
A report by the Commons foreign affairs committee concluded:
"It is too early to provide a definitive assessment of the US 'surge' but it does not look likely to succeed.
We believe that the success of this strategy will ultimately ride on whether Iraq's politicians are able to reach agreement on a number of key issues."
In other words, the fate if Iraq is in the hands of the Iraqi politicians. Unfortunately, the current Prime Minister of Iraq is failing miserably; as such the future looks bleak.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Lost Without Trace
Congratulations to President Shrub for engineering a situation in Iraq, whereby over 190,000 weapons supplied by the US have gone missing.
Over 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols, distributed to Iraqi forces by the US, are missing. It is assumed that they simply haven't been "lost", but are now in the hands of those intent on causing chaos and bloodshed.
A report from the government accountability office (GAO), said that US military officials did not know what had happened to 30% of the weapons the US had given to Iraqi forces since 2004.
Rachel Stohl, a senior analyst at the Centre for Defence Information, said:
"They really have no idea where they are.
It likely means that the United States is unintentionally providing weapons to bad actors."
The watchdog said that weapons distribution was rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly in 2004 and 2005. During that period, security training was led by General David Petraeus.
Ironically he is now the top US commander in Iraq, and the one that Shrub is waiting to hear from in September; when the final decision to pull US forces out of Iraq will be forced on Shrub, like it or not.
Over 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols, distributed to Iraqi forces by the US, are missing. It is assumed that they simply haven't been "lost", but are now in the hands of those intent on causing chaos and bloodshed.
A report from the government accountability office (GAO), said that US military officials did not know what had happened to 30% of the weapons the US had given to Iraqi forces since 2004.
Rachel Stohl, a senior analyst at the Centre for Defence Information, said:
"They really have no idea where they are.
It likely means that the United States is unintentionally providing weapons to bad actors."
The watchdog said that weapons distribution was rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly in 2004 and 2005. During that period, security training was led by General David Petraeus.
Ironically he is now the top US commander in Iraq, and the one that Shrub is waiting to hear from in September; when the final decision to pull US forces out of Iraq will be forced on Shrub, like it or not.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
The Disunity Government of Iraq
Those of you who still believe that the current political situation in Iraq is viable, in the long term, may need to revise your opinions.
Another nail has been driven into the coffin of the "unity" government of Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, as five ministers withdrew from cabinet meetings. This is less than a week after the main Sunni Arab bloc quit.
Nearly half, that's 17 in total, of al-Maliki's cabinet have now quit or are boycotting meetings. There are no longer any Sunni members of cabinet.
Al-Maliki has been accused of not responding to demands for political reform.
The only way to force political compromise and action, from the "unity" government, is to withdraw the military support it receives and relies on from the US; ie the troops should be withdrawn.
Another nail has been driven into the coffin of the "unity" government of Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, as five ministers withdrew from cabinet meetings. This is less than a week after the main Sunni Arab bloc quit.
Nearly half, that's 17 in total, of al-Maliki's cabinet have now quit or are boycotting meetings. There are no longer any Sunni members of cabinet.
Al-Maliki has been accused of not responding to demands for political reform.
The only way to force political compromise and action, from the "unity" government, is to withdraw the military support it receives and relies on from the US; ie the troops should be withdrawn.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Back To The Stone Age
Congratulations to President Bush for his "competent" handling and "management" of post invasion Iraq.
It seems that despite once being a wealthy, technologically advanced country with very respectable reserves of oil, Iraq is now teetering on the brink of returning to the stone age.
Iraq's power grid is on the brink of collapse; because of insurgent sabotage of infrastructure, rising demand, fuel shortages and provinces that are unplugging local power stations from the national grid.
Electricity Ministry spokesman, Aziz al-Shimari, said that power generation nationally is only meeting half the demand, and there had been four nationwide blackouts over the past two days. The shortages are the worst since 2003, after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
Baghdad power supplies have been sporadic all summer and are down to just a few hours a day, if that. The water supply in the capital has also been severely curtailed by power blackouts and cuts that have affected pumping and filtration stations.
Mission accomplished!
It seems that despite once being a wealthy, technologically advanced country with very respectable reserves of oil, Iraq is now teetering on the brink of returning to the stone age.
Iraq's power grid is on the brink of collapse; because of insurgent sabotage of infrastructure, rising demand, fuel shortages and provinces that are unplugging local power stations from the national grid.
Electricity Ministry spokesman, Aziz al-Shimari, said that power generation nationally is only meeting half the demand, and there had been four nationwide blackouts over the past two days. The shortages are the worst since 2003, after the invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.
Baghdad power supplies have been sporadic all summer and are down to just a few hours a day, if that. The water supply in the capital has also been severely curtailed by power blackouts and cuts that have affected pumping and filtration stations.
Mission accomplished!
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