While America took time off for Christmas the war in Iraq continued. Other than visits from several coalition bigwigs to pump up troop morale, the legal team representing Saddam continued to produce propagag, I mean updates, on their case. The latest is so ridiculous it hardly warrants serious comment. Flippant or sarcastic will do just fine.
The Butcher's lawyers seem dead serious about their torture allegations and are calling for "an independent investigation". Will anyone actually believe that the few bruises Saddam might have are remotely comparible to Abu Ghraib-- and I mean this Abu Ghraib? I'm surprised his entire legal team hasn't been struck dead by lightning just for mentioning this nonsense. Come to think of it, Ramsey Clark was missing at the last two court sessions.
Anyway, they're laying groundwork for a claim of mental incompetency, ie, he's not capable of standing trial since he's a victim. Very American sounding defense, so maybe the Iraqis are progressing faster than we thought. Of course this condition will be blamed on torture policies of the Bush adminstration, which everyone knows to be true since that's what republicans do (when not busy roasting puppies and kittens).
Realistically, the mental incompetency due to torture fable clears up a few loose ends, like why his legal team recently allowed a goofy interview to the British tabloid "the Sun". It also nicely explains his wild-eyed courtroom antics and helps to further divide the divided American public.
But there should be no real discussion on whether this stunt might work. Saddam must die, period. For perspective consider whether Mussolini, Himmler, or Goebbels (or Hitler if caught) would have fared even a slim chance of wiggling off their hooks using legal stunts. Saddam wiggling off his would indicate something highly rotten in Denmark.
Think about it--we hold the prisoner, we set up the court, and we control the trial. If he avoids the noose it'll only be because we allowed it. And that is certainly ridiculous enough to not warrant further comment.
LET'S MAKE A DEAL 12/26
Saddam's whacked out half-brother is claiming America made him an offer he could refuse. Barzan Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti said that all he had to do was testify against Saddam and a high-ranking position in the new Iraqi government was his. U.S. officials did not comment and there was no indpendent confirmation from the Iraqis.
Assuming his story is true he basically had two options. Testify, get released and watch the insurgents cut him down pretty quick, or not testify. We can only figure he thought his chances were better sticking with Saddam. That means he's either incredibly loyal, incredibly stupid, or he knows something about his chances that we don't.
There are a few practical aspects of America making a deal with Barzan. One, a Ba'athist testifying against kin would have been powerful, probably locking up a quick conviction on the first charge along with an air of legitimacy. So far the testimony seems weak and too one-sided.
There are a few sinister possibilities, too. For example, a deal could signify we believe the evidence in the first case is too flimsy to win, and we really don't want subsequent crimes to be charged for fear Saddam's defense team would call messers Rumsfeld and Cheney to the stand. Just try to imagine the grandstanding from Saddam on that one. Still, it's hard to believe we'd ever have the need to make deals with the very people we fought a war over.
ENTER SPECTER 12/27
I know what you might be thinking, but that's actually S.P.E.C.T.R.E.. (there's a website for everything).
I'm talking about Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter. He jumped on a plane to Baghdad to have a word with the Chief Judge in the Saddam trial, essentially to tell him he's allowing Saddam to contol the trial. Specter, a former prosecutor, suggested they could at least hold the Butcher in contempt, or something. Someone should tell Specter the judge probably has a family and values his own skin.
Notice that Specter used the word "blusterbun". I can't find it in the dictionary, but it somehow seems to fit.
MORE SPECTER
He's everywhere! Maybe he'll find time to get back to his important work on Able Danger.
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