Informed Speculation

The Butcher of Baghdad begins going down the road that will lead inexorably to his execution:

The eight defendants sat in black, leather office chairs inside a white, chest-high enclosed cage. Beginning with Hussein, each defendant’s name was called for a formal identification.

“In the name of God,” Hussein responded, and then began to recite a verse from the Quran.

“Enough,” the judge replied, cutting him off. “We only want to write your identification.”

Saddam kept reciting the verse. The judge interrupted him again. “Mr. Saddam, we demand you give us your identification, your address.”

“Who are you?” Hussein asked the judge. “What are you? I have to know. You were judges?”

During the next few minutes of exchange, Saddam refused to identify himself by name. “I don’t have hatred against any of you, but we have to speak to rights and respect the people’s will in choosing me. I don’t acknowledge this court with all respect to its figures. I stick to my constitutional rights as president of Iraq state. I don’t acknowledge the side who authorizes you or the enemy because anything based on wrong is wrong.”

Finally, a seated Hussein, his dark eyes darting this way and that, heard the judge begin to read the charges, “torture,” “criminal activity as a group,” “killing that was deliberate and premeditated,” and others.

“Are you guilty or innocent,” the judge asked Hussein and the others.

“I’m not guilty,” Hussein said. “Innocent” said each of the others.

Iraqis blame Hussein for the deaths and torture of hundreds of thousands of citizens during nearly three decades in power. But he will face charges concerning a single incident, the execution of 143 men and boys from Dujail, 35 miles north of the capital.

Prosecutors allege that Hussein ordered the killings as retaliation after gunmen fired on his motorcade in the town on July 8, 1982, in an attempt to assassinate him.

In addition to the executions, which occurred three years later at Abu Ghraib prison, more than 1,500 townspeople were arrested, prosecutors allege. Many were banished to desert prisons where families were crowded together in windowless cells for years. Bulldozers plowed over the fertile groves of orange and date palm trees that provided the primary livelihood for Dujail’s residents.

Those who claim Iraq is not worth it should read the above two paragraphs quite slowly and dwell on the fact that this is only a small part of the crimes against his own people Hussein has been involved with over the last few decades. Death by hanging is almost laughably inadequate compensation, but it will do…

UPDATE 8:10 a.m.: As expected, the trial adjourned until November 28th. This is to consider the various pending motions and things of that nature…