home

A Perfect Trial? Who Needs Due Process?

Fred Hiatt asks:

What's more, his trial was in no sense the model of civilized justice that would have showcased a new, democratic Iraq -- in large measure because that new Iraq has yet to materialize. Several defense lawyers were murdered; judges had to be replaced. Political interference was evident. Even this week, the appeals tribunal sent back one life sentence as insufficiently tough, in effect demanding death for one of the co-defendants. Still, there is something unreal about the cries of foul from human rights groups demanding perfect procedural justice from a country struggling with civil war, daily bombings and death-squad killings. The reality is that by the trial's end, there was no significant factual dispute between prosecution and defense: Saddam Hussein acknowledged on national television that he had signed the death warrants after only the most cursory look at the evidence against his victims. That, he testified proudly, "is the right of the head of state." Exactly what would a perfect trial be capable of discovering?

Well, we believe in due process for a reason I thought. We try to have it because there are things that we might not know without it. But it's Saddam, who cares about that for him?

< Chevy Chase and the "Klutz in Chief" | Iraqi Judge: Saddam Execution Today or Tomorrow >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    This (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by aw on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 11:13:05 AM EST
    Saddam Hussein acknowledged on national television that he had signed the death warrants after only the most cursory look at the evidence against his victims.

    reminded me of this:

    He might have succeeded in bequeathing to history this image of himself as a scrupulously fair-minded governor if the journalist Alan Berlow had not used the Public Information Act to gain access to fifty-seven confidential death penalty memos that Bush's legal counsel, Alberto R. Gonzales, whom President Bush has recently nominated to be attorney general of the United States, presented to him, usually on the very day of execution.[1] The reports Gonzales presented could not be more cursory.

    NY Review of Books

    That is a typical twisted comparison (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by Pancho on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 02:44:17 PM EST
    Saddam was SENTENCING people to death, while Bush was merely choosing not to undo the actions of the many courts that had already reviewed the evidence.

    Parent
    Bushlicker Splits Hairs (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:07:15 PM EST
    I am certain that Bush's legacy for death (texacutions) destruction and mass murder, will make all the evil Sadaam had done a mere footnote in the annals of history.

    Parent
    Yep (none / 0) (#2)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 11:16:33 AM EST
    BTD, when you stated this: (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Bill Arnett on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 12:31:31 PM EST
    We try to have it because there are things that we might know without it.

    Did you inadvertently misspeak and actually mean:

    We try to have it because there are things that we might NOT know without it.

    I agree with this second statement 1000% and I feel that's why they have to kill Saddam fast to make sure he can never spill the beans on Rummy, Deadeye Dick, Daddy Bush, and Ronny Raygun.

    Parent

    Right (none / 0) (#6)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 01:01:58 PM EST
    Thanks.

    Parent
    You're welcome, Sirrah. (none / 0) (#8)
    by Bill Arnett on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 01:39:27 PM EST
    What time (none / 0) (#4)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 12:38:42 PM EST
    does the Al Sadr brigade pick him up?

    Funny Elision Che's Lounge (none / 0) (#7)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 01:27:10 PM EST
    The Badr Brigade is run by Shiite leader al-Hakim who has deep ties to Iran. Ironically he is Bush's favorite and the feeling is mutual.  al-Sadr also a Shiite has the Mahdi army. al-Sadr is very nationalistic and not a fan of Iran or US meddling in Iraq.

    Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that Iraq is going on a high state of alert for fear of unrest as a result of Saddam's execution. All leave for Iraqi troops has been cancelled.

    The London pan-Arab daily says that there is a split in the Iraqi government over how fast to move. One consideration is that the Sadr bloc in parliament has made Saddam's execution a precondition for its rejoining the government.

    Juan Cole

    Guess al-Sadr doesn't care that we want to see Sadaam implicate the US government with detailed testimony of US collusion in his crimes against humanity.

    Doesn't he know that we are the center of the world? What an ingrate.

    Parent

    Discovery (none / 0) (#5)
    by Al on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 12:49:22 PM EST
    What a laugh! (none / 0) (#9)
    by Bill Arnett on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 01:43:38 PM EST
    All leave for Iraqi troops has been cancelled.

    That doesn't matter a bit, as the AWOL rate on iraqi troops is always very high, and when they are ordered to an area they don't like, they simply walk away - replete with uniforms, U.S. training, and weapons we provided them.

    Is it just me -- (none / 0) (#10)
    by Joe Bourgeois on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 02:15:31 PM EST
    Is it just me or is Hiatt's condemnation of liberal critics for their insistence on adequate procedure and his positing Saddam's guilt based on his just glancing at death warrants before signing them 100% contradictory?

    Hiatt (none / 0) (#13)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:48:12 PM EST
    It is not just you. Hiatt lives in Wingnuttia where denial is always flowing.  


    Parent
    Link to sarcastic visual (none / 0) (#14)
    by Daniel DiRito on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 08:26:43 PM EST
    See a sarcastic visual of George Bush playing a round of "Hangman"...here:

    www.thoughttheater.com