Talabani refuses to sign Tariq Aziz execution order

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Wednesday he will not sign an execution order for Tareq Aziz, the former deputy of dictator Saddam Hussein sentenced to death last month over the persecution of Islamic parties.

"No, I will not sign the execution order for Tareq Aziz, because I am a socialist," Talabani told French television France 24 in an interview.

"I sympathize with Tareq Aziz because he is an Iraqi Christian. Moreover he is an old man who is over 70," he said.

(snip)
"Death sentences cannot be implemented without the approval of the president. This is what is in the constitution."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_iraq_talabani

[aquart]

1. Oh, that's sweet. Aziz always feels like an old neighbor.

Not a friend, but a guy you've seen around the neighborhood. I was put out by the death sentence although I am not opposed to death sentences. So very very many I would like to execute in a public square.

But this is very sweet.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

2. I'm glad

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. good on him

[bemildred]

4. Good for him. nt

[Coventina]

5. Good. n/t

[struggle4progress]

6. Iraq president won't sign Hussein foreign minister Aziz's death sentence

... "I will not sign Tariq Aziz's death sentence," Jalal Talabani told France 24 television during a visit to Paris for the Socialist International meeting. "I will sign no death sentence at all, because as a social democrat, I'm against the death penalty" ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/17/AR2010111703626.html

[Hardrada]

7. Good. We had no business putting Tariq Aziz in this position anyway.

[happi1]

8. Welcome the destoyer

Ya I figured.

He was an agency asset.

[eridani]

9. He was also one of the main reasons why Iraqi Christians used to have reasonable lives n/t