An Iraqi appeals court has upheld the death sentence against Taha Yassin Ramadan, Saddam Hussein's former vice president.
Taha Yassin Ramadan was convicted in November, along with Hussein and six others, for the killing of some 140 Shi'a in the 1980s.
He was initially sentenced to life in prison, but that sentence was later raised by a higher court and automatically sent to an appeals panel.
Ramadan's execution is to be carried out within 30 days.
Human Rights Watch has called for the death sentence against Ramadan to be repealed.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Illegal War
Hans Blix, former UN weapons inspector, waded into the row about the legality of the Iraq war by saying that Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government "exercised spin" in exaggerating the case for the war in Iraq.
He went on to describe the conflict as "clearly illegal".
He said that pre-war intelligence, eg the UK government dossier which claimed Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and could deploy some within 45 minutes, appeared to have deliberately overstated the case for war.
Mr Blix said that he believed that the occupation of Iraq, overall, had been a complete failure.
"I think everything in Iraq after the invasion has been a tragedy. The only positive thing, I think, is the disappearance of Saddam Hussein."
Let us trust that the leaders who took us into this failed occupation leave office soon.
He went on to describe the conflict as "clearly illegal".
He said that pre-war intelligence, eg the UK government dossier which claimed Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and could deploy some within 45 minutes, appeared to have deliberately overstated the case for war.
Mr Blix said that he believed that the occupation of Iraq, overall, had been a complete failure.
"I think everything in Iraq after the invasion has been a tragedy. The only positive thing, I think, is the disappearance of Saddam Hussein."
Let us trust that the leaders who took us into this failed occupation leave office soon.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Iraq's Refugee Crisis
Channel Four have produced a damning report on the worsening refugee crisis in Iraq.
Millions of refugees are fleeing the conflict in Iraq country. Where is the coalition of the willing when it comes to their care?
Read and watch the report here Channel Four.
Millions of refugees are fleeing the conflict in Iraq country. Where is the coalition of the willing when it comes to their care?
Read and watch the report here Channel Four.
Halliburton Move
Halliburton announced on Sunday that it plans to open a new corporate headquarters in Dubai.
Some US lawmakers have raised concerns that Halliburton, which is the Pentagon's largest contractor in Iraq and holds a logistics contract valued at over $25BN, might be able to reduce its tax burden by moving its headquarters to Dubai.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., asked whether it might really be a back-door way to enable Halliburton to expand its business dealings with Iran or avoid paying U.S. taxes.
Halliburton used to employ US Vice President Dick Cheney.
Some US lawmakers have raised concerns that Halliburton, which is the Pentagon's largest contractor in Iraq and holds a logistics contract valued at over $25BN, might be able to reduce its tax burden by moving its headquarters to Dubai.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., asked whether it might really be a back-door way to enable Halliburton to expand its business dealings with Iran or avoid paying U.S. taxes.
Halliburton used to employ US Vice President Dick Cheney.
Saddam's Judge Seeks Asylum in The UK
Raouf Abdul Rahman, the judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death, has asked for political asylum in Britain.
Raouf Abdul Rahman and his family have received death threats from insurgents linked to the former ruling Ba'ath Party.
The judge, a Kurd, took control of Saddam's trial in Baghdad last year to end a series of interruptions by defendants and political speeches which had reduced the legal process to chaos and extended the hearing by months.
He also told Saddam, at one stage, to remember that he was a prisoner on trial for his life and no longer the dictator of Iraq.
Iraq is spiralling out of control.
Raouf Abdul Rahman and his family have received death threats from insurgents linked to the former ruling Ba'ath Party.
The judge, a Kurd, took control of Saddam's trial in Baghdad last year to end a series of interruptions by defendants and political speeches which had reduced the legal process to chaos and extended the hearing by months.
He also told Saddam, at one stage, to remember that he was a prisoner on trial for his life and no longer the dictator of Iraq.
Iraq is spiralling out of control.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Aziz Blames Iran
Tarik Aziz, who was Saddam Hussein's foreign minister and deputy prime minister, has claimed that there "was no genocide" against Iraqi Kurds and blamed Iran for the 1988 poison gas attack on a Kurdish town.
Aziz was appearing before a special tribunal, and claimed that Iraq did not possess the nerve agents that were used to kill an estimated 5,000 people in Halabja.
Quote:
"You can check with experts.
There was no genocide against the Kurds Those defendants were honest officers who defended their country and fought Iran."
Aziz called Saddam a "hero and patriot for Iraq sovereignty."
Aziz was appearing before a special tribunal, and claimed that Iraq did not possess the nerve agents that were used to kill an estimated 5,000 people in Halabja.
Quote:
"You can check with experts.
There was no genocide against the Kurds Those defendants were honest officers who defended their country and fought Iran."
Aziz called Saddam a "hero and patriot for Iraq sovereignty."
Friday, February 23, 2007
Iraq Bribe Scandal
Tongsun Park, a South Korean businessman and lobbyist, has has been jailed for five years for accepting kickbacks from Saddam Hussein to subvert the UN's oil-for-food program in Iraq.
Park was convicted on conspiracy charges in July 2006, for receiving at least $2M from Baghdad.
Park was sentenced at a hearing in New York.
US District Court Judge Denny Chin, sentencing Park, said that the 5 year term was "harsh" for a man of Park's age (71) and health but was reasonable and appropriate.
Park was also fined $15K, and told to forfeit $1.2M.
Mr Park travelled to Iraq to collect $700K in cash, and accepted envelopes stuffed with $100 notes, Judge Chin said.
Quote:
"You acted out of greed, acted to profit out of what was supposed to be a humanitarian program."
Park is also due to face trial in Washington DC, accused of making false statements about his role in the UN programme in an interview with FBI agents in December 2004.
Park was convicted on conspiracy charges in July 2006, for receiving at least $2M from Baghdad.
Park was sentenced at a hearing in New York.
US District Court Judge Denny Chin, sentencing Park, said that the 5 year term was "harsh" for a man of Park's age (71) and health but was reasonable and appropriate.
Park was also fined $15K, and told to forfeit $1.2M.
Mr Park travelled to Iraq to collect $700K in cash, and accepted envelopes stuffed with $100 notes, Judge Chin said.
Quote:
"You acted out of greed, acted to profit out of what was supposed to be a humanitarian program."
Park is also due to face trial in Washington DC, accused of making false statements about his role in the UN programme in an interview with FBI agents in December 2004.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
British Firms Investigated
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is investigating a number of British companies, over allegations that they paid bribes to Saddam Hussein to win lucrative contracts.
The investigation will look at possible breaches of the oil-for-food sanctions.
The UN has issued a report which lists over 2,200 companies, worldwide, that may have been linked to bribery to Iraq.
The British firms listed in the report by Paul Volcker, submitted two years ago, include GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. They have all denied the accusations.
The SFO spokesman said:
"The SFO has now opened a formal investigation into issues relating to the breaches of the embargo (against Iraq).
All this springs out of the Volcker report and other information that came to us last year. The director of the SFO has now signed us up to conduct a full investigation."
AstraZeneca state:
"We deny any allegation of unethical behaviour on our part in our trading relationships with Iraq,” a spokesman said.
AstraZeneca sent a consignment of medicines originally requested by the Hussein government under the United Nations Oil for Food Programme.
Most of the consignment was delivered after the coalition forces of the US and UK had taken control of the country.
The consignment was sent with all relevant United Nations permissions and UK Government Department of Trade and Industry export licences in place."
A GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said:
"GSK denies any wrongdoing. The UN Oil for Food programme was run in the UK by the Department of Trade and Industry and GSK operated entirely within DTI guidance in this area.
Indeed, GSK had a regular dialogue with officials at the DTI in order to ensure that all its dealings under the Oil for Food programme were transparent and in accordance with the regulations."
The investigation will take years and cost millions.
The investigation will look at possible breaches of the oil-for-food sanctions.
The UN has issued a report which lists over 2,200 companies, worldwide, that may have been linked to bribery to Iraq.
The British firms listed in the report by Paul Volcker, submitted two years ago, include GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca. They have all denied the accusations.
The SFO spokesman said:
"The SFO has now opened a formal investigation into issues relating to the breaches of the embargo (against Iraq).
All this springs out of the Volcker report and other information that came to us last year. The director of the SFO has now signed us up to conduct a full investigation."
AstraZeneca state:
"We deny any allegation of unethical behaviour on our part in our trading relationships with Iraq,” a spokesman said.
AstraZeneca sent a consignment of medicines originally requested by the Hussein government under the United Nations Oil for Food Programme.
Most of the consignment was delivered after the coalition forces of the US and UK had taken control of the country.
The consignment was sent with all relevant United Nations permissions and UK Government Department of Trade and Industry export licences in place."
A GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said:
"GSK denies any wrongdoing. The UN Oil for Food programme was run in the UK by the Department of Trade and Industry and GSK operated entirely within DTI guidance in this area.
Indeed, GSK had a regular dialogue with officials at the DTI in order to ensure that all its dealings under the Oil for Food programme were transparent and in accordance with the regulations."
The investigation will take years and cost millions.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Third Time Lucky
Iraqi authorities are determined to try to silence their critics, and prove that they can execute a man without a shambles ensuing.
Taha Yassin Ramadan was sentenced to death yesterday, for the murder of 148 Shiite Muslims, and Iraqi officials are reportedly checking rope widths and lengths to ensure the cord can take the weight.
A new gallows is being built to accommodate convicts of different sizes, said Basam Ridha, an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.
Quote:
"We're taking the extra precautionary steps, including creating two types of gallows: one for heavyset guys and another for normal folks and skinnier guys."
So that's alright then, the fact that Ramadan had originally only been sentenced to life, seems to have escaped the authorities.
Taha Yassin Ramadan was sentenced to death yesterday, for the murder of 148 Shiite Muslims, and Iraqi officials are reportedly checking rope widths and lengths to ensure the cord can take the weight.
A new gallows is being built to accommodate convicts of different sizes, said Basam Ridha, an aide to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.
Quote:
"We're taking the extra precautionary steps, including creating two types of gallows: one for heavyset guys and another for normal folks and skinnier guys."
So that's alright then, the fact that Ramadan had originally only been sentenced to life, seems to have escaped the authorities.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
The Iraq Fiasco
As President Bush Bush unveiled a $2.9 Trillion budget for 2008, of which $700BN is allocated for Iraq, the body count continues to rise.
The money would be better spent on research for an alternative to oil, as a fuel supply. The only real solution for the worsening Middle East crisis, is for the US and its allies to pull all of their troops out of the Middle East and to stop buying oil from there.
That will allow the Middle East to resolve its problems without interference.
The money would be better spent on research for an alternative to oil, as a fuel supply. The only real solution for the worsening Middle East crisis, is for the US and its allies to pull all of their troops out of the Middle East and to stop buying oil from there.
That will allow the Middle East to resolve its problems without interference.
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