What will Bush do if Saddam walks?

[jmowreader]

The headline emblazoned across our local right-wing rag this morning about Bush delaying the Saddam handover put this question in my mind...

Assume for a second that Bush really does hand Saddam over to the Iraqis for trial. Now let's say that Bush does something or says something to piss the Iraqi governing council off...and they issue this ruling:

There is no credible evidence to point to Saddam Hussein being guilty of a violation of the laws of the Republic of Iraq that were in force at the time he was its leader. Although the actions taken at the behest of Saddam Hussein are heinous and repulsive, the laws of our nation were, at the time, written in such a way that allowed the government to perform these acts. A crime is committed only when a law is violated, and Saddam Hussein violated no Iraqi law that was in force when he was our leader. And because we find that Saddam Hussein violated no law, we now dismiss all charges against him and release Mr. Hussein from custody.

I have no doubt Bush would throw away another thousand troops attempting to find Saddam and shoot him.

[noahmijo]

1. ummm...

From what are factual accounts of the deeds done by Saddam and Co, I doubt the governing council will let Saddam off easy just to piss Bush off especially seeing just how low the * administration was willing to go to capture him in the first place.

I still believe Saddam's going to be hung, but the council may say to Bush "alright get your troops the hell out we'll take it from here"

[jmowreader]

10. No, Saddam won't be hung

Saddam will be shot, dragged a mile down a gravel road to be drawn and quartered, dragged a mile down a gravel road to be keelhauled, then dragged a mile down another gravel road to be electrocuted. They're not only going to execute him, but will take exceptional steps to ensure he stays dead.

And they'll do it on national television.

My supposition was based on the thought that Bush was relying on people like Ahmad Chalabi to build a case against Saddam. Chalabi's got no credibility here and he had even less in Iraq. At this point no Iraqi would believe Chalabi if he said water was wet.

"Mr. Bush, you built your case based on the ravings of a man who's crazier than a shithouse rat. We dismiss it with prejudice."

Besides, it may well have been legal under Saddam's laws for Saddam to do all that shit he did, and that's the basis they'd use--not international law (the US, and every other nation, is in violation of a number of international laws even on days they're not running two illegal wars).

I think Saddam needs to be taken out back and shot. I also think it was the Iraqis' job to go get the SOB in the first place, not George Bush's.

[noahmijo]

14. Yup

I think Saddam needs to be taken out back and shot. I also think it was the Iraqis' job to go get the SOB in the first place, not George Bush's.

Yup totally agree with that, however, if the Iraqi's were truly over powered by Saddam and his oppressors I'd say that the world's powers (the UN basically) have an obligation to do something about it, however it's not our (The US's) job to rid the world of every tyrant single handedly, especially when we got our own wars with Al-Queda to fight.

[Lautremont]

2. He'd go apeshit is what.

Which would be no end of fun to watch. Not for the soldiers, though, or the Iraqis blown up and shot.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Welcome to DU! :^D

[madrchsod]

3. he has a problem

with his conduct of the war with iran and the use of chemicals which the bush klan sold him and provided military assistance in targeting iranian troop movements.hmmmm-sounds like the bush klan may have a problem....

[ButterflyBlood]

4. not going to happen

there is no way an Iraqi council will let Saddam off free just to piss off *, especially since I doubt * would really care anyway. His handlers were the same people funding Saddam under Reagan.

[UTUSN]

5. Fergit "Walks"---------It's Mincemeat, Drawn/Quartered

If the Shrubbites turn Saddam over, it means CANNIBAL TIME!!!!!!!!!!!

[ironflange]

6. He'll have no authority to send troops by then

All he will be able to do is head off to a remote corner of the ranch with his machete, and hack away at the brush there while yelling, "Take that, Saddam! And that! And that! And that!"

[troublemaker]

7. Hell... they'll probably let him go so they can catch him again.

That was the last good day they had.

[MajorFlaw]

8. Frankly, I don't see a down side to handing Saddam over

to the new "government." They will probably execute him. Better they should take their frustration out on Saddam than "one of our guys." Shrub is paranoid about Saddam walking because it would undermine our reason for being there if his "own people" decided to let him off the hook.

[UTUSN]

9. #1, Saddam Is Prolly Senile

#2. Saddam used to know where all the B.F.E.E. bodies are buried.

#3. Saddam will be thrown to the dogs/hoi-polloi/cannibals.


Questions??????????

[Killarney]

12. He will lose the election

if after ALL of this, Saddam walks... Bush will lose in a landslide.

[KharmaTrain]

13. Another Take...Saddam Walks...The War Is Lost

This could be the ultimate slap at the U.S. from the Iraqis...the door hitting our asses on the way out. Imagine the international embarassment if Saddam were to walk...and even worse, return to power. I see that now a more distinct possibility than I have for the past year.

From all we've seen of our occupation, life in Iraq couldn't be any worse than it was under Saddam...car bombs explode around the country every day, electricity and water still remain intermittent, most government services are not available to the general Iraqi popluace and the torture continues behind closed doors. If you think the torture stopped with the release of the pictures, I'd be willing to be things have gotten worse as those who could speak out are "quieted" by those who oversee them who could be placed in that very same cell.

The Iraqi people can't wait for the U.S. to get out of their country and I don't think they care how it happens or who does it. I could see Saddam put on trial and then turning it into a rallying session...recounting to his own people all the steps the U.S. took to prop him up and then all the destruction that has taken place since he was kicked out. It'd be powerful stuff and if you don't think nationalistic Iraqis won't react strongly to this, then you have no concept of real politics. Saddam could be returned to power as a "fuck you" to America...the ultimate insult to a war lost.

Bushyboy is stuck major here...if Saddam's executed, under current circumstances, he will be viewed as a martyr as it will be viewed that this edict came from the U.S. and not either from the Iraqi people or the international community. Unless he's taken to the Hague and tried there, there'll be little international acceptance of this verdict as well...and create even greater grief in the Arab world.

A great post and question and one we better think on...cause it might be on a Kerry watch that this mess will have to be cleaned up. Methinks Bunnypants wished that Saddam was still hiding in his hole...a Saddam out of sight was a far greater political tool for him, than one behind bars and seen as a rallying force for his own people. Dumb! Deadly Dumb!