United States Handing Back Saddam

Diablus · June 2004

<div class="IPBDescription">Good idea, or not?</div> Basically as i heard in some news radio stations

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> We have news on what will become of Saddam Huissen reports say. 2 Marines will take the handcuffed Saddam. Transport him to a Iraqi court. He will be uncuffed, read his rights and consequences of his doings. He will then be re-cuffed and dealt with.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

I feel this is the stupidest idea I have ever heard. Though trying to work on the courts in Iraq while rebuilding I feel that there is a BIG chance of Saddam escaping. Especially since its being broadcasted. Terrorist cells could easily set up a ambush plan of attack and try to take him and free him. We would then have another Problem on our hands <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /> .

For some reason I just have a feeling something will go terribly wrong. It seems like something out a Cop movie

The bad guy serial killer is transported to the courts, he is uncuffed. Then a huge shootout occurs and he escapes, then the movie plot starts. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

It doesn't seem right. We find him, capture him. Then hand him over? not ONLY are the Iraqi police inexperienced in fighting. But if hes going to be held in a public cell, we all know rescue attempts will be attempted by terrorist / extremist forces. And knowing the Iraqi police and Guard. I highly doubt they would be able to hold the Defenses <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

I really do hope they keep extra high security with US forces while hes in court uncuffed AND while hes in his prison cell awaiting his final judgment.

Discuss.

GunFodder · June 2004

First, I have no doubt that there will be a plethora of security on hand during all of the proceedings. Certainly more than two Marines.

Secondly, I doubt most terrorists would try to spring him. Why would they free him? He would serve as an obstacle to their growing strength and power. It's not like he could reward him either. His wealth has been confiscated.

It's just a way for the US to acknowledge sovereignty of the new Iraqi government. He is an Iraqi war criminal and should at least be tried by an Iraqi court, if not an International one.

I'd personally like for them to hand him over to the Kurds.

RyoOhki · June 2004

I'm not overly concerned about Saddam escaping. What I am concerned about is that Saddam won't be given a fair trial, and the message that would send to the world.

The chances of Saddam getting a fair and even trial in Iraq is pretty low. Putting the very people Saddam oppressed for years in charge of his trial strikes me as a bad idea. It's not impartial justice by any stretch of the imagination. It pretty much can't be; it's like a court case where the judge's son was killed by the defendant.

So why not hand Saddam over to the world court? The guy almost certainly is guilty of war crimes, but at least in an international court he would have a better chance of a fair trial, and justice wuld be served. It gets the US some much needed diplomatic kudos and upholds their belief in the proper course of justice. Handing him over to the Iraqis strikes me as the wrong message.

GunFodder · June 2004

There is the possibllity that the Iraqis may hand him over to a world court. The US seems like they are trying to afford the new Iraqi government some air of soveirgnty, to make them more legitamite in the eyes of the common Iraqi. If we were to directly hand him over to a world court because that what we would do (at least in the past, with Bush who knows) we would essentially be showing the Iraqis, for lack of a better phrase, that "It's our way or the highway", the kind of image we are trying to avoid I think.

Could you imagine trying to defend Sadaam in any court of law though? I mean the moral issues of defending an accused murderer or rapist is one thing. There really isn't much doubt of his guilt for a lot of crimes. I imagine that would be interesting.

Euoplocephalus · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (GunFodder. @ Jun 27 2004, 06:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Could you imagine trying to defend Sadaam in any court of law though? I mean the moral issues of defending an accused murderer or rapist is one thing. There really isn't much doubt of his guilt for a lot of crimes. I imagine that would be interesting.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Well, sounds like it won't be anything new to the guy planning on doing it:

<a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3578421.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3578421.stm</a>

Handman · June 2004

I think handing him back to be judged by Iraq is good. It is a message to the people of Iraq that we trust you, and it will be the first big action by the new iraqi government. Will he get a fair trial? I don't think this is important, as the world opinion of this man is that he is evil. There are many people in the US who dont get fair trials, shoudl we send them to world court(a recent cas would be Scott Peterson, the press has covered it soo much the whole nation has a stance now)?

GunFodder · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Euoplocephalus @ Jun 27 2004, 09:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3578421.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3578421.stm</a> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
Yikes, that's one scary resume. Nice article though, thnx.

RyoOhki · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Will he get a fair trial? I don't think this is important, as the world opinion of this man is that he is evil. </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Why is this not important? It's a dangerous road to head down when we start saying "Well it's not important for *insert particular person or group here* to have a fair trial, because it's obvious they're guilty. It starts with Saddam and the detainees in Guantanamo, and where does it end? Opposition political parties jailed without trial because they disagree with government policy? Citizens tried in front of military tribunals? Kangaroo courts for everyone? Extreme scenarios for sure, but these kind of things happen gradually.

For a nation such as the US who champions the cause of justice, it's a very strange and dangerous move to selectively apply justice. Such moves have a nasty habit of coming back to bite you later on. There may be quite a few people in the US who don't recieve fair trials, in which case I think the citizens and government of the US should take a long hard look at their legal system and the Constitution their country is based around.

Handman · June 2004

I Said, I do not think it is important, because there is no "fair" court in the world where he will be found inocent. I believe it is more important to tell the Iraqi peopke, we trust you to judge him than for us to do it.

Necro · June 2004

good idea, i think the iraqi people should be the ones to choose what happens to him.

X_Stickman · June 2004

I agree..... I don't see any other country's courts giving him any other judgement. Iraq should deal with him.

Stakhanov · June 2004

Saddam will be punished no matter what , but he must have a fair trial in Iraq to show the maturity of the iraqi democracy. Killing him without trial would look like a lowly revenge.

ekent · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Diablus @ Jun 27 2004, 01:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I feel that there is a BIG chance of Saddam escaping.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
He's being held in an american army prison. I'm sure security at the trial will be joint Iraqi police and american army forces as well.

RyoOhki · June 2004

<a href='http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10000997%255E2,00.html' target='_blank'>Not good news at all</a>

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> OUSTED Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would get the death penalty if he was found guilty of the serious crimes levelled against him, Iraq's interim Justice Minister Malek Dohan al-Hassan said in a newspaper interview today.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>

Like I said, this is not good news. It has the potential to make Saddam into a martyr, which is the last thing Iraq needs right now. Besides, anyone else think that a quick painless death isn't much of a punishment? How about jail for life with hard labour? Sounds far more fitting to me.

Zig · June 2004

hm... i think i'll just drop my opinion right quick by stating, for those who do not know, that the death penalty was instituted by the Interrim government in conjunction with Saddam's return.

reasa · June 2004

Give him to the Kurds.

Georgeb · June 2004

Saddam is not going anywhere - so I reckon we shud pebble him chuck pebbles at him and then leave him for a day or two and then do it again and again.

I hate this man - I would do anything to make sure he will die.

Regards
George

UltimaGecko · July 2004

Well...I think it's an excellent idea to let the Iraqis charge him with crimes themselves. It just makes sense that a dictator be judged by his people (it's just that...generally they're either killed in a coup or die of old age first). They would also have the afformentioned option of turning him over to a world court.

I just never understand why world leaders get treated so lenient with war crimes. If someone kills 1 person, they get a life sentence. They kill 10, they get an asylum cell. They kill 20, they get put in a solitary confinement - except for the occasional TV interview. Oh...but kill thousands- millions...then, you get to have house arrest at a giant estate where people deliver you food and you have no work.

How terrible. Maybe I need to become a world leader and order the deaths of millions of people...

Or maybe world leaders should be treated equally with normal people. The same thing happens with celebrities and sports stars (and I don't get that either...A celebrity shoplifted - well, that's more important hundreds of missing children and murders that happen annually...

...but that's a bit off topic. Let the Iraqis treat the situation how they will. As long as there's sufficient security to make sure nothing happens (since it would basically be a terrorist 'morale' victory if he were freed, since he has minimal resources anymore).

United States Handing Back Saddam

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