15.6.05
Saddam on trial
Fisk on Saddam's recent court appearance, footage of which was presented without sound:
If Saddam was really being charged with war crimes over the killings of Shias - which I hope he was - then why, in heaven's name, didn't we hear what he had to say? Why use the methods of Saddam himself? The silent film, the assumption of guilt? Or was Saddam telling the court that the United States was behind his regime, that Washington had given him the means to destroy the Halabja Kurds with gas?
Personally, I'm surprised Saddam is even getting this level of treatment. I thought by now he would have suffered a sudden heart attack or been involved in an unfortunate accident - for example, involving an Iraqi Jack Ruby pumping Hussein full of lead in front of surprised US soldiers.
In any event, there is no way the Bush administration and the Pentagon are going to allow Hussein a forum to inform the American public about his dealings with various US administrations over the years. It's not going to happen. Supporters of such a policy will say something to the effect that Saddam should not be allowed to issue propaganda to the various "dead-enders" fighting in his name and other anti-American forces out there. It will be another case of the historical record taking a backseat to current policy - in this case, misguided in the extreme.
Fisk on Saddam's recent court appearance, footage of which was presented without sound:
If Saddam was really being charged with war crimes over the killings of Shias - which I hope he was - then why, in heaven's name, didn't we hear what he had to say? Why use the methods of Saddam himself? The silent film, the assumption of guilt? Or was Saddam telling the court that the United States was behind his regime, that Washington had given him the means to destroy the Halabja Kurds with gas?
Personally, I'm surprised Saddam is even getting this level of treatment. I thought by now he would have suffered a sudden heart attack or been involved in an unfortunate accident - for example, involving an Iraqi Jack Ruby pumping Hussein full of lead in front of surprised US soldiers.
In any event, there is no way the Bush administration and the Pentagon are going to allow Hussein a forum to inform the American public about his dealings with various US administrations over the years. It's not going to happen. Supporters of such a policy will say something to the effect that Saddam should not be allowed to issue propaganda to the various "dead-enders" fighting in his name and other anti-American forces out there. It will be another case of the historical record taking a backseat to current policy - in this case, misguided in the extreme.
