Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Political Timing For Date Of Saddam Verdict?

The verdict against Saddam Hussein in his first trial will be delivered on November 5.

That's two days before the U.S. midterm elections.

(A) senior court official said a verdict against Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants charged with crimes against humanity in connection with an anti-Shiite crackdown in the 1980s will be announced Nov. 5.

The former Iraqi leader could be hanged if convicted. However, he could appeal the sentence to a higher, nine-judge court. His co-defendants include his former deputy, Taha Yassin Ramadan, and his half brother and former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim.

The trial began a year ago with the eight defendants facing charges arising from the deaths of nearly 150 Shiites from the town of Dujail after a 1982 assassination attempt against Saddam in the town north of Baghdad.

That trial adjourned July 27 to allow its five-judge panel to consider a verdict. The court was to have reconvened Monday to hear a verdict.

"The Dujail trial will resume Nov. 5 when the presiding judge will announce the verdict and the sentencing," Juhi said.


A politically astute observer might think that the Iraq war is a loser of a political issue for the Republicans, and thus, it would not be advantageous to them for this to be brought up on election eve.

The administration and their followers, however, view the overthrow of Saddam to be a "victory" and -- absent a last minute capture of Osama bin Laden -- the sentencing of the former leader of Iraq will have to suffice to remind the electorate of the virtues of their "war president" in a dangerous world.

Or something like that.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The cynicism of the GOP organizers is trumped only by the stupidity of the American public...

Dena

10/17/2006 4:37 PM  
Blogger Effwit said...

Dena:

That, in a nutshell, is the secret of the Republicans' popularity in recent years.

10/17/2006 6:03 PM  

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