Being a recounting of my journalistic ventures in Iraq
OK. This post from Billmon is pretty damn funny. And it nails the absurdity of the whole situation. Baghdad, Nov. 5 (Whiskey Bar News Service) Legal experts expressed shock and surprise this morning as an Iraqi court dominated by the country’s newly empowered Shi’a majority condemned former president Saddam Hussein to death for crimes against …
Just before 11 p.m. Beirut time (GMT +0200), Saddam Hussein was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. “Long live the people, down with the traitors, down with the conquerers!” shouted Saddam Hussein after the verdict was read. “Damn you and your court.” Right this moment, Baghdad is under an uneasy and indefinite curfew. …
Reader Elyn F wasn’t able to post this to the comments, but I thought it an interesting enough response to yesterday’s “The World on Trial” that I offered to post it for her in the hopes of generating discussion.
In public, and even in private, U.S. officials express no concern over the direction the Saddam Hussein trial is taking, or its perceived lack of legitimacy. With many Iraqis — including some in the lame-duck government of Ibrahim al-Jaafari — openly saying just hang the bastard already and international observers calling into question the fairness of the procedings, the U.S. is looking increasingly alone as it continues to insist on the need and fairness for the trial. But for once in Iraq, the U.S. is right.
BAGHDAD — I will be part of the print pool for today’s session of Saddam Hussein’s trial, so I’ll be busy doing that until late tonight. I will post my report as soon as I can. UPDATE 10:54 A.M.: We’re still waiting to go into the courtroom, but some background: Today will be the 10th …
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