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Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Fri May 20, 2005 at 02:35:08 PM EST
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Saddam Hussein's lawyer today announced he will file a lawsuit against those responsible for publishing photos of him in his underwear.

"We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures," Saddam's chief lawyer Ziad Al-Khasawneh told the BBC Friday.

President Bush said he doesn't think the photos will cause a violent reaction in the Arab world.

"I don't think a photo inspires murderers," Bush told the press at the White House. "These people are motivated by a vision of the world that is backward and barbaric ... I think the insurgency is inspired by their desire to stop the march of freedom."

Is he that ignorant of Arab customs and values - personal modesty included - or is he that deluded that he thinks the entire Arab world hates Saddam too much to care?

The U.S. military semi-concedes the illegality of the publication of the photos:

In Baghdad, the U.S. military said in a statement that the photos violated military guidelines "and possibly Geneva Convention guidelines for the humane treatment of detained individuals."

In related news, the Red Cross told the Chicago Tribune that it received reports of disrespect for the Koran as far back as 2002 and relayed them to the U.S. The Pentagon confirms receiving the reports, but likens it to a case of a Koran "inadvertantly dropping to the floor."

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    • Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos | 22 comments (22 topical)
    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#1)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    "We will sue the newspaper and everyone who helped in showing these pictures," Saddam's chief lawyer Ziad Al-Khasawneh told the BBC Friday." Watch out, TL, they're gonna come after you!

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#2)
    by wishful on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    I don't think a photo inspires murderers," Bush told the press at the White House. "These people are motivated by a vision of the world that is backward and barbaric ... I think the insurgency is inspired by their desire to stop the march of freedom."
    Thank god a man of such wisdom, that understands the motivation of "these people", is in charge of the U.S. war on terror. Just think how badly things would go if the very Commander In Chief didn't realize the barbaric world view of his enemies. Oh wait, was he referring to U.S. democrats who don't worship his world view or the Saudi terroris...I mean Iraqis who don't worship his world view? Obviously, if one is not with W, one is agin 'im, right (unless W stands to profit himself or his cronies)? There is clearly no room for civilized resolution of differences with the always...oh, never mind.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#3)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    As a huge sigh of relief emanates from the offices of Newsweek.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#4)
    by John Mann on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    "Is he that ignorant of Arab customs and values - personal modesty included - or is he that deluded that he thinks the entire Arab world hates Saddam too much to care?" Yes, and yes.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Bush went on to explain in further depth, These people want to be free, and the killers don't want them to be free. (link includes entire transcript of pc)

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#6)
    by Darryl Pearce on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Bush's ignorance and assumptions are only superceded by those who are actually controlling the reins of power. Alas, I guess we know have the answer to that immortal question: can't we all just get along?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#7)
    by krazycory on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    do the people that he and his sons raped or the families of the people that he tortured and killed get a chance to sue him?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#8)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Lets take a step back in time. It is March 2003 and the US invasion of Iraq has already begun. The Iraqis have just captured some American soldiers and interview them on tv. (Of course, unlike Saddam, they were fully clothed.) How did the Bush administration act? They were outraged. Rumsfeld said that "those pictures are a violation of the Geneva Conventions." Again according to Rumsfeld "It's illegal to do things to POWs that are humiliating to those prisoners." Bush demanded that American troops held captive in Iraq be treated humanely, warning that Iraqis who do otherwise will be punished as war criminals. This is one of the few things that I agree with Bush about. Captives in Iraq should be treated humanely and those that do otherwised should be punished as war criminals.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#9)
    by Wile ECoyote on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    I guess the rumours of a bikini wax was not true.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    NO pants...NO problem!! Although he looked like a boxer man to me!

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#11)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    et al - Do you think you should wait until we know who released the photos before we yell? Naw..... Fire, Shoot, Aim....

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#12)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    “Fire, Shoot, Aim....” Obligatory snark about Iraq and WMDs. Beat you all to it; suckers.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#13)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Fire, Shoot, Aim.... What is the correct order?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#15)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    What's the difference between "fire" and "shoot"?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    Why is Bush's most cherished pornography being leaked from the Oval Office? Is there NO national security? Where's Tom? What's-yer-name, turn up the heat on the rubes. Go to red alert and put out a fake press release. And then have those two CIA guys fly their private plane toward the capitol again ... I didn't get to see the panic. They didn't even tell me how it went until three hours later. Bush is having an ugly contest with Hussein. When he came to the photo-op in Peru with HIS UNDERWEAR STICKING OUT OF HIS ZIPPER, was he just happy to see Panamerican unity? Or was he thinking about bringing demockery to innocent people out the bomb doors of B-52s. What a hero of demockery.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    "Posted by pigwiggle: "Obligatory snark about Iraq and WMDs. Beat you all to it; suckers." Preemptive accusation is the oldest bully-boy trick in the book, and since you're so swift and all, it really makes your testicles twitch to think you're getting over. Hey, don't you Democratics try to dismember the Constitution. That's a Republican job, and we're doing it. Abraham Lincoln's descendants you aren't. And Sally Hemmings aside, you ain't got none of Jefferson's genes. Even John Adams would reject you as mewing bastards with no plausible basis for claiming patrimony. Machiavelli was not an American, you turkeys.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#18)
    by john horse on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    I wonder why some of you find it implausible that these photos were deliberately leaked. During the 1983 Grenada invasion, the US military published and distributed posters of captured Grenadan civilian leaders that were similarly embarassing. This was part of our military pys-ops. According to Rupert Murdoch, the military official who provided the pictures hoped their release would deal a "body blow" to the insurgency. As Rumsfeld has pointed out "It's illegal to do things to POWs that are humiliating to those prisoners." Does anyone believe that Rumsfeld meant was he said? Does anyone believe anything the Bush administration says?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:15 PM EST
    The Brits are saying the photos were obtained from a high ranking US military official. If Bush weren't so cheap, members of the military wouldn't be looking for outside sources of income

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:16 PM EST
    Why does Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. hate America?

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#21)
    by roy on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:16 PM EST
    "It's illegal to do things to POWs that are humiliating to those prisoners." Does anyone believe that Rumsfeld meant was he said?
    This is blatant revisionism, but perhaps Saddam is covered by that aspect of the Geneva Convention whereas other prisoners aren't.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#22)
    by ppjakajim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:16 PM EST
    John Horse - Somehow the thought of humilating Saddam brings a smile to my face. But hey, that's just me. PIL - Gee, didn't notice Bush's crotch myself. Guess you're watching it closer than I.

    Re: Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:18 PM EST
    The homosexual snark doesn't cover the ACT of Bush, displaying his own state of undress to the world press, in Peru -- where they make the best COCAINE in the world. Not only are these the antics of a addict, but they are intended to work just like Kruschev's shoe on the people who see it. It's an act of tyranny, of aristocracy. It is entirely anti-American. And the same is true of you trying for the homosexual dig to defray the criticism due this spoiled, unjustly favored-son, for failing to behave like anything OTHER than a retarded and violent PRINCE.* *Who according to his wife also mast**bates stallions. ** He also can't find WMD he started an illegal war over, but he looks behind the cushions in his air-conditioned, barracaded office for a joke. *** He also read a 2nd grader's book for ten minutes after being told the nation was under attack, after one of the longest vacations in presidential history.

    Saddam to Sue Over Underwear Photos | 22 comments (22 topical)