Next step: What to do with Saddam?

[Junkdrawer]

One option is for new Iraqi tribunal to try ex-leader

The Associated Press

Updated: 11:17 a.m. ET Dec. 14, 2003 BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. officials said they still haven’t decided what to do with Saddam Hussein now that he’s been captured, but one option is putting him before a special tribunal established just days ago. A member of Iraq’s Governing Council said Saddam would face public trial.

Iraq’s interim government established a special tribunal Wednesday to try top members of Saddam’s government for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. At the time, they said Saddam could be tried in absentia.

Lt. Gen. Richardo Sanchez said at a news conference Sunday that the U.S.-led coalition was still deciding what to do with Saddam.

“At this point, that has not been determined, we continue to process Saddam at this point in time and those issues will be resolved in the near future,” Sanchez said.

Ahmad Chalabi, a member of Iraq’s Governing Council, said Saddam would be tried.

More...

http://msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3710420&p1=01%7C%7C%2C15217%7C1%7C003


"established just days ago"... What a coincidence!

[bpilgrim]

1. TRIAL

but i suspect he will get either oswald treatment or the trial will be contorlled by us and he wont have a chance to speak.

peace

[pa28]

25. I think you called it

My first reaction was. "This is terrible for Bush". They did not want him taken alive. Now Hussein has a chance to say "I told you so" unless he is gagged at trial or given the Oswald treatment.

[alittlelark]

26. Hussein has been 'brain fried'

I'll bet he really was caught a few months ago when soldiers said he was (until the pentagon said they were 'mistaken'). The few shots I saw of him were those of a hollow shell. Even CBS was commenting on it
Makes sense. Given our involvement we don't want him capable of testifying against us. ESPECIALLY in our brand spankin new IRAQ WAR CRIMES COURT that Paul oversees. Much Less the Hague (Legally where he should be tried).

All heil BFEE

[pinto]

2. Apparently Chalabi got a "heads up" last week that US was close...

I heard one report that the leads eventually leading to Hussein's apture came in 5 days ago. Interesting situation now...who tries him? Chalabi claims Iraqis to hold trial. I'd guess that US would want Iraq to do it, as they would probably have a narrower focus...WMD "plans" for use against US is not their beef, at all. Thay have years of internal scores to settle.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Another report earlier this week had the tribunal "months in the making"..

I'm guessing "someone" made sure that Saddam was captured after the tribunals were in place.

[pinto]

5. Yeah, this is, for B*sh, political, and timings *everything*... n/t

[ILeft]

4. Just don't leave him alone with "our" dictator.

We all have heard our sociopathic pResident's wishes:

"F___ Saddam. we're taking him out." Those were the words of President George W. Bush, who had poked his head into the office of National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/24/timep.saddam.tm/

[drscm]

6. Another Option: A Reunion and Photo-op with Rummy...

and any of the other criminals who armed Saddam in the first place.

[Junkdrawer]

8. Which is why Saddam will never see the Hague.

If you read "we should leave Saddam's fate up to the Iraqi people", expect a kangaroo court in Saddam's future.

[slackmaster]

7. Put him on display like King Kong

Think of the opportunities for concesessions sales.

[Roon]

11. I'd go gawk..n/t

[elfin]

9. Bet the "trial"

will be in October - full cameras unlike Clark's testimony against Sobodan.

this COULD work against them - just think how Gore should have won by a landslide with things going so well.People just wanted a "change" in persona more than anything else.

If things SEEM to be going well - it could work in our favor that we need a change to handle the mop up and get us back on the right track at home.

Bet the WH is praying they don't nab Osama this soon.

Both will be "old news", causing the other negative stuff - environment, judiciary, civil rights etc. to be magnified in the campaign.

[pinto]

10. my thought is that Iraq wants a quick trial, while US admin wants time

to hold and interrogate Mr. Hussein for a while, and get some kind of "tie-in" to WMD, 9/11, SARS, flu outbreak, hell anything...mean time, if we continue to hold him, Iraq situation may further slide towards anarchy...or a continued military occupation. My quick take is an Iraqi trial gives them their due, whatever that is. And the Admin gets to make what spin of it they can....

[54anickel]

12. Does the capture of Saddam give Baker an extra card to play in

negotiating Iraqi debt forgiveness? Many of the countries have skeletons in the closet regarding their ties with Saddam. The location and mechanics of his trial will be kept in the air for quite some time. An open, international trial will expose all. A hidden trial in the US would ensure a CYA for all involved. Or perhaps a Jack Ruby type of scenario.
Just thinking aloud. Am I nuts?

[htuttle]

13. I doubt it

I bet that most of the people in rest of the world know a lot more about their own governments' past connections to Hussein than average Americans know about their own government's past.

The media is better elsewhere -- and most of the leadership powers that aided Hussein in the past are gone. There's little damage to be done by disclosure, since the people currently in power aren't responsible, and the people of their country probably are already aware of many of the connections.

What's unique about the situation with the US is that the people currently holding Hussein were most of the same ones who had supported him in the past, and made hiim into what he became. And whoever Hussein may have purchased weapsons from in the past, he was doing it with US dollars sent by Reagan and Bush (and Rumsfeld and Cheney, etc...).

[pinto]

14. Trial specifics, notwithstanding, Baker's seems to be poised to

play a role in what happens next. We have skeletons re: Hussein, as do all western nations (our support of Hussein during Iran/Iraq war). It's a good ole boy club, as far as the West goes, over there and Baker has ties with Saudi/Kuwaiti interests.

Money and Baker are never far apart, though, and I think you've got a pertinent point. I'm sure we had "imminent" knowledge this was coming (capture of Hussein)...I can't help think Baker has something to do with Tribunal.

[pinto]

15. ps: Baker's the fixer guy and he plays "hardball"

[Junkdrawer]

16. Baker's the guy they send when they want to clamp a lid on something...

and he's good at it.

[legin]

22. Good post 54anickel

shit I forgoten all about that

there was a fair bit of European trade (putting it politely) with Saddam according to a biography I read of him.

The Matrix-Churchill affair was just the tip of an iceberg.

[johnfunk]

17. What to do with Saddam? Three simple words:

QUEER EYE MAKEOVER!

...just kidding...

[Eat_The_Rich]

18. Which Saddam is it?

Maybe it would be good news if they really captured the man. Look at his beard! I don't think that it could have grown this much since this spring, and given the fact that it was common knowledge he had doubles...

[fortyfeetunder]

19. Get him to squeal on Osama binLaden

If the chimp really wants to show the relationship between Saddam Hussein and Osama binLaden, why not get Saddam to squeal on Osama. But the flip side to this is possible plea bargain for Saddam for squealing.

The other question: Does Saddam have a lawyer?

[Fovea]

20. This is just like their exit plan.

They have looked for him high and low since April, but have no plan of what to do with Saddam?

Am I the only person suspicious of this?

Chalabi is no more a disinterested party in Saddam's handling
than Bush was for Noriega, and for the same reasons, really. Gotta keep the lid on Saddam. That is why he was 'disoriented' they drugged him to keep him from talking.

[Junkdrawer]

21. He'll be lucky to remember his name, much less who helped him..

to power in the 70s or who gave him weapons for the war with Iran in the 80s.

[Muddleoftheroad]

23. Interrogate him

That ought to take months. I mean everything -- numbers of troops, information on rebels, equipment, weapons, research, terror links, etc.

We won't see a trial for several months and, frankly, we shouldn't. It will take a while to formulate a formal case against him. He will need a defense and they will need time, etc. If the trial even begins before the next election, that will be speedy.

[osaMABUSh]

24. OJ trail redux

The 'trail' will be OJ like in length and coverage - just the way * wants it in order to keep the sheeple distracted.

It'll be great. We'll have Court TV over in Iraq or some neutral locale describing what SH is wearing to court each day. Larry King will have expert trail guests ad naseum.

Osama who? What the hell is a WMD anyway?