War Crimes Trial for Saddam Could Reveal Details of Past US Help

[kskiska]

Saddam Hussein's loyalists may not be the only ones edgy about the prospect of a war crimes trial for the former Iraqi leader.

Vexing questions also could surface about how much the United States helped Iraq during its eight-year war with Iran -- and whether it tried to stop Iraqi atrocities.

Among the questions that could arise in any such trial:

* What did U.S. officials know about products shipped to Iraq that could have been used for weapons? What intelligence did they provide Iraq that could have been used for chemical attacks?

* How hard did Donald H. Rumsfeld try to persuade Saddam Hussein to stop using chemical weapons against Iran? Rumsfeld, now defense secretary, met with Saddam and other top Iraqi officials during visits to Baghdad in 1983 and 1984, when he served as President Reagan's envoy.

Saddam and officials from his government could describe their dealings with Americans as they defend themselves from charges stemming from the Iran and Kuwait wars and the repression against Kurds and other Iraqis. The Iraqi Governing Council is creating a tribunal and some international jurists have called for a U.N. court.

more…
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/24/national1255EST0532.DTL

[catmandu57]

1. I wonder if Darth Scumfeld

and co. is sleeping well these days.

[RC]

2. None of those WH guys are much in touch with reality.

I'm sure they all sleep very well.

[pinniped]

3. I hope Saddam does not hang himself or fly to the trial in a small plane.

n/t

[jpak]

4. We all know who the GOP Friends of Saddam are

Ronald Reagan

Donald Rumsfeld

Poppy

James Baker

Dick Cheney

Colin Powell

The (60?) DIA/DOD personnel stationed in I-raq to aid war against I-ran.

The (24+) of US companies BushCo deleted from I-raq's UN weapons declaration that sold Saddam dual-use WMD technology

The CIA personnel that arranged the sale of cluster bombs to I-raq through a front company in Chile.

Forget anyone??????

Yup I did....

Robert Dole

Alan Simpson

http://www.mediachannel.org/views/dissector/affalert122.shtml

[ScrewyRabbit]

5. This is why they'll make it an Iraqi tribunal

held in secret, in arabic, far away from court reporters of any independent stripe.

[Auntie Bush]

6. Saddam is a DEAD man ...still walking n/t

[Dr Fate]

7. Saddam has cancer. He will never make it. Mark my word.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/908930.stm

"The Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, is reported to be suffering from lymph cancer and to be preparing to undergo chemotherapy."

How handy.