A different view

More on a Silent Hussein

I've made accusations that the rush to try and execute him was to make sure he didn't incriminate US and British officials and companies in his war crimes.

Variety reports that "U.S. officials ordered CNN and Al-Jazeera, the pool camera crews, to disconnect their audio equipment".

What little footage was left was then censored by the military before it was transmitted back to the US.

This was early in the trial, but it seemed to continue through-out. In IraqSlogger, Nir Rosen reports that "American minders shut off the microphones and ordered the translators to halt whenever they disapproved of what was being said by the defendants".


It's interesting to note The New Republic's article reports Arab (Sunni) journalists are being critical of the trial because so many other leaders in the area could also be tried on similar charges to the murdering of 143 villagers in Dujail. Just how many despots are we supporting in the area?

Certainly the entire Iran hostage situation was over the return of the Shah so the people could try their former dictator.

It seems to be a lesson we've never learned. The reports out of Turkmenistan since the funeral of President-for-life Niyazov show we are still supporting some of the worst regimes in the world.

So why Saddam Hussein and why execute him so quickly? Perhaps so the real criminals will never have to face their own judgements, at least here on earth.

posted by don1one @ 11:46 AM