December 17, 2003

JUST A TAD:

Dubya's ace in the hole (Geov Parrish, 12.17.03, WorkingForChange.com)

[D]ean is hardly the most radical voice in his own party -- Rep. Jim McDermott, for instance, has publicly questioned the political convenience for the White House of Saddam's capture now rather than months ago.

That's a tad cynical for my tastes. And unnecessary. There are plenty of other reasons to be concerned by What Happens Next -- both to Saddam Hussein and to his American captors.

First, Saddam. The man is a war criminal -- that much is clear. But the Bush Administration is planning to turn Hussein over to the "Iraqi people" for a show trial. What else could it be, when every decision of "the Iraqi people," thus far, has been made by the same Americans who for a dozen years, even and especially post 9-11, have turned Saddam into Public Evildoer #1; the same Americans whose unilateral invasion and occupation has included seizing complete military control of Iraq's judicial system; whose limited nods toward self-government have allowed only carefully vetted Iraqi exiles and the like?

When concerning the fate of political leaders who have allegedly killed hundreds of thousands of their own (or anyone's) people -- crimes properly called "crimes against humanity" -- the global community now has a procedure in place for international trials. The United States, under Clinton and now Bush, has refused to honor it, concerned that a truly impartial process could reflect poorly on American foreign policy and its leaders.


Wow, it was sad enough when the Left convinced itself that Saddam wasn't a WMD threat, but now they aren't sure he was one of the most murderous dictators in the world?

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 17, 2003 1:26 PM
Comments

OJ,there are no criminals,merely victims of an unjust society.How can Saddam be held liable for all his crimes when it was America that made him do it?After all,we gave him money and weapons!

Posted by: M. at December 17, 2003 1:46 PM

Remember, it has been said that Saddam idolized
Stalin whom the left quite liked. So it would
be consistent if they couldn't get all worked
up by Saddam's atrocities.

Posted by: J.H. at December 17, 2003 2:02 PM

M-
That's the beauty of trying Saddam in the International Court of Justice. He would be able to make all those points. In fact, he may even counter-sue W and Tony. We will be spared an endless and repetitive chorus of depositions from victimized Kurds, Shiites, and assorted Sunnis; and instead we will get to hear Michael Moore, Paul Krugman, and the coquettish Ms Dowd.

At the end, the world would get two convictions (Saddam's and W's, may be three if Blair is thrown in) for the price of one.

And all men will live in peace. And may be then the Pope will feel sorry for W.

Posted by: MG at December 17, 2003 2:47 PM

Should have shot him on the farm.

Posted by: Peter B at December 17, 2003 2:49 PM

The fifth fundamental force of the universe (besides electromagnetism, gravity and the nuclear forces) has got to be stupidity. It's a lot like gravity, in that it's pervasive, but under most conditions a weak force and can be overcome. But if you get too much in one place, look out!

In articles like this we are witnessing is the formation of a black hole of stupidity-- so much stupidity is being concentrated in one location that no rational though can escape, and it's trying to suck in everything around it.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at December 17, 2003 4:06 PM

Quantum bogodynamics. Excessive absorption of bogon radiation can cause terminal idiotarianism.

Posted by: Gideon at December 17, 2003 4:29 PM

This 60's liberal thinking at its finest.. the sky is only allegedly blue until a jury says otherwise.

Posted by: MarkD at December 18, 2003 7:33 PM
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