The Saddam fix is in

[Ed]

I knew it. I knew it.

From El Jazzera, today


Iyad Allawi, the head of the Iraqi National Accord, made the revelations to the Arab dailies Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Hayat on Monday.

He said Saddam "has started to give information on Iraqi money that he invested abroad... which the Iraqi Governing Council estimates at $40 billion placed in Switzerland, Japan, and Germany among others, under fictitious company names."

He added that "Saddam Hussein's trial would not be public since he could name countries and persons whom he gave money".

We'll never know the truth. Not just US support, but the French, Germans, and god knows who else. He won't swing and the details will be "state secrets".

Pisses me off.

[subgenius]

I was surprised that he was taken alive.
I have the same suspicions as you regarding what would come out in an open fair trial.

[Ed]

Originally posted by subgenius
I was surprised that he was taken alive.
I have the same suspicions as you regarding what would come out in an open fair trial.

There will, in effect be two trials. The public one for ******** such as you and me then the real one. That will be a plenary session behind closed doors. Just you watch. Join me in a vomit-fest as Bush and the frogs and every other lieing bastard BSes about "open and fair".

I'll venture another guess, $40 bil is the tip of the iceburg (or iceberg if you tend toward zionist conspiricies:D )

To the folks that suggest that a few people lining their pockets was the cause of this war I say Bull. Saddam could have directly bought them all off for a hell of a lot more than they are going to make.

This entire thing stinks to high heaven and everyone is complicit. The french, the germans, the UN, the UK, everyone. The only "diplomatic" argument was the best way of keeping the dirty secrets.

At least the naivety of the US bashers will be clear.

[Cleon]

Originally posted by Ed
I'll venture another guess, $40 bil is the tip of the iceburg (or iceberg if you tend toward zionist conspiricies:D )

OK, I gotta say it....

Spelling correctly is now considered a Zionist conspiracy???

[Ed]

Originally posted by Cleon


OK, I gotta say it....

Spelling correctly is now considered a Zionist conspiracy???


I rest my case (http://www.theshlenkerschool.org/newsletter.cfm?Article=88)

[Nasarius]

Originally posted by Ed
I'll venture another guess, $40 bil is the tip of the iceburg (or iceberg if you tend toward zionist conspiricies:D )

Well, if we're going with the German terms, the misspelling implies a castle of ice :)

I can sort of understand the reasoning, to protect the semi-innocent, but Saddam needs a public trial if the US is to retain any credibility outside its borders.

[Ed]

Originally posted by Nasarius


Well, if we're going with the German terms, the misspelling implies a castle of ice :)

I can sort of understand the reasoning, to protect the semi-innocent, but Saddam needs a public trial if the US is to retain any credibility outside its borders.

He won't get it. Not that he is going to complain.

Who is "semi-innocent"? It srrms to me that the US has been regularly accused of sundry misdeeds with little or no evidence. I wouls love toknow the full story.

[CFLarsen]

Originally posted by Nasarius
I can sort of understand the reasoning, to protect the semi-innocent, but Saddam needs a public trial if the US is to retain any credibility outside its borders.

Why? The US cares very little about its credibility anyway.

The US has no problems keeping hundreds of non-US citizens locked up for years, with no trials, no formal charges, no legal assistance.

Heck, even many of its own citizens are locked up, indefinitely. No trials. No formal charges. But those are "fortunate": They probably have legal assistance...if they can afford it.

I see no reason why the US can't simply declare Saddam an "illegal combattant".

Case solved. Nobody needs to know anything. Nothing to see. Go about your business. Move on.

[Troll]

Originally posted by CFLarsen


Why? The US cares very little about its credibility anyway.

The US has no problems keeping hundreds of non-US citizens locked up for years, with no trials, no formal charges, no legal assistance.

Heck, even many of its own citizens are locked up, indefinitely. No trials. No formal charges. But those are "fortunate": They probably have legal assistance...if they can afford it.

I see no reason why the US can't simply declare Saddam an "illegal combattant".

Case solved. Nobody needs to know anything. Nothing to see. Go about your business. Move on.

Well one reason to not declare him as such would be to allow for the trial the people of Iraq want to have for him. If we refused their right for that then obviously they will feel somewhat cheated out of closure for the entire thing. That would create far more problems than anything going on right now as it would disenfranchise many that aren't currently fighting or resisting or whatever one feels it should be called.

[shemp]

I don't think he will ever stand trial. After the Bush boys pump him for whatever info they can get, he will conveniently die of "natural causes." Faked medical records showing he had a "heart condition" will be circulated to the press. His body will be cremated to make sure nobody ever finds out the truth.

[subgenius]

(Short detour)
The whole money thing bugs me. If we would have spent a fraction of what we are now beforehand improving the lives (buying off) certain countries there may have been no 9/11.
Imagine the PR "only" a billion or two in aid would have gotten us.
(Back to topic)

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by subgenius
(Short detour)
The whole money thing bugs me. If we would have spent a fraction of what we are now beforehand improving the lives (buying off) certain countries there may have been no 9/11.
Imagine the PR "only" a billion or two in aid would have gotten us.
(Back to topic)

How do you buy a country?

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Grammatron


How do you buy a country?

An example: Take a very religious country, and send them billions in arms and equipment to help them drive out your anti-religious mutual enemy. Once they succeed, leave them alone as they request, except to send food aid as they allow.

A sure-fire method of winning friends.

MattJ

[Troll]

Originally posted by subgenius
(Short detour)
The whole money thing bugs me. If we would have spent a fraction of what we are now beforehand improving the lives (buying off) certain countries there may have been no 9/11.
Imagine the PR "only" a billion or two in aid would have gotten us.
(Back to topic)

I think we've had that sort of PR. It ends with people claiming the US is setting up a puppet government in another country because they really don't care about the people themselves.

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


An example: Take a very religious country, and send them billions in arms and equipment to help them drive out your anti-religious mutual enemy. Once they succeed, leave them alone as they request, except to send food aid as they allow.

A sure-fire method of winning friends.

MattJ

I see, so you really rent a country until it turns around and bites you in the a** so hard that it leaves you with a chunk missing.

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Grammatron


I see, so you really rent a country until it turns around and bites you in the a** so hard that it leaves you with a chunk missing.

I'm not advocating any country-buying, just trying to explain how it's supposed to work.

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by aerocontrols


I'm not advocating any country-buying, just trying to explain how it's supposed to work.

But it doesn't really work if we use your explanation :)

[Skeptic]

Originally posted by Cleon


OK, I gotta say it....

Spelling correctly is now considered a Zionist conspiracy???

It's an allusion to the punchline of an old joke, blaming the jews for sinking the TITANIC: icebreg, goldberg, silverberg... they're all the same...

[Skeptic]

I don't think he will ever stand trial. After the Bush boys pump him for whatever info they can get, he will conveniently die of "natural causes." Faked medical records showing he had a "heart condition" will be circulated to the press. His body will be cremated to make sure nobody ever finds out the truth.

And those idiot intelligence agencies still actually try to recruit agents, instead of just coming onto the JREF board and asking shemp what "the truth"(TM) is.

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Grammatron


But it doesn't really work if we you your explanation :)

Perhaps that's the reason why I don't advocate it.

There may be explanations for which it works. We're buying off Egypt in much the way Subby suggests. How have we been doing in Egypt for friends?

[American]

Originally posted by Ed

Pisses me off.

...

[Tesserat]

I'd love to see the American administration say " We have no reason to hide anything, we're the biggest and strongest, so Saddam can say anything he likes, who cares?"

It seems ludicrous to think that the US government is suddenly concerned about the world's opinion of them. I think they should get all the secrets out into the open, and then just say

"So what are you going to do about it?"

There's no way to hold Russia, Germany, France, the States, and anyone else who turns up, accountable. It would just go away anyway.

[subgenius]

The problem is the political fallout internally here in the US.

[Jocko]

Originally posted by subgenius
The problem is the political fallout internally here in the US.

I find that unlikely - those who care about it already know. Many half-truths are already circulating and I for one would like to see the record set straight. It can't be as bad as Mr. Manifesto and others would like to believe.

Once a potential scandal is out there, it always pays to confront it. Look at Watergate, Clinton's dalliances, etc. and you'll find that the coverups were always worse than the "crimes" themselves. Let Saddam speak, I say, as long as full disclosure extends to other nations as well. Otherwise it's not full disclosure.

[Ed]

You guys are not getting it. As Claus rightly points out, we do not give a flying big one for what anyone thinks. IT IS THE OTHER GUYS!! They want THEIR secrets kept. We will make sure they are for certain considerations in the future.

Just like the old J. Edgar Hoover deal. He had the goods on everyone and was untouchable. Now we will. Think we are insufferable now? HA.

That is the way it is going to go down.

Sorry I was not more clear.