Bush v. Sadaam (another political thread related)

bthav

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6055798.stm

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has urged Iraqis to set aside internal conflicts and unite in driving US-led forces from the country.In a letter dictated from prison, Saddam Hussein calls on Iraqis not to be "distracted" by settling scores.Saddam Hussein is on trial in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, for crimes against humanity, including genocide.He describes Iraqis as living in "the most difficult period in history" but warns against using excessive force.Unified Iraq"Remember that your near-term goal is confined to freeing your country from the forces of occupation and their followers and not to be preoccupied in settling scores," he writes in the letter.He blames foreigners for sowing division in "a united and undivided country".Referring to the rash of sectarian killings and violence, he writes that Iraqis should not be tempted to use excessive force."I urge you [...] to apply justice and righteousness in your jihad, and refrain from being drawn into recklessness, God forbid."The letter was apparently dictated during a four-hour meeting with his lawyer on Saturday.Referring to the sectarian splits in the country he says he yearns for a "great unified Iraq, which is not split by any colour, segment or allegation".

amidst the foreign invasion/liberation of the country, it really does seem like sadaam is the only person that can unify iraq at this time. granted there is NO WAY this could logistically happen without the entire west inserting their perverbial foot in mouth, but who else could lead the country? to rest on the iraq's political laurels may seem like the short-sightedly easy way out (that which i am ceratin has nothing to do with the US's justification for staying in iraq), but at a time of complete mayhem and chaos, the only solution i can see is a return to the familiar for the iraqi people.

Rockadelic

Fuck A Bush

DOR

it really does seem like sadaam is the only person that can unify iraq at this time.

Dude, ur not serious are you?

Fuck Bush and all that... I believe the war there was wrong and all. But if you mean "suppress" instead of "unify". Maybe..

bthav

hear me out... i dont think sadaam is a good leader in any sense. homey is straight reprehensible. but considering the socio-political downward spiral iraqi is engaged in on fault symbolically and literally due to the western invasion, i see his leadership--albeit a bad decision in the long run--an arguably neccesary step towards stabilty. its amazing how powerful symbols are (rip joseph campbell).


all in all this will never happen because it requires the US to admit it's fallible. its just interesting to think about. my

LordNO

The Shia in Iraq are a majority who have been ruled by the Sunni Minority for 1500 years. Now, for the first time in 1500 years the Shia have a shot at self-rule, and to rule over the Sunnis who ruled over them. Saddam is not even close to a desirable candidate for them. The only reason his words have any resonance is cause he, like many other lower profile Iraqis, has been humiliated under the occupation, and because his trial is clearly illegitimate, and it underscores American hypocrisy (if the Americans believed in intl law they'd try him under the ICC, no?)

LaserWolf

The Shia in Iraq are a majority who have been ruled by the Sunni Minority for 1500 years. Now, for the first time in 1500 years the Shia have a shot at self-rule, and to rule over the Sunnis who ruled over them. Saddam is not even close to a desirable candidate for them. The only reason his words have any resonance is cause he, like many other lower profile Iraqis, has been humiliated under the occupation, and because his trial is clearly illegitimate, and it underscores American hypocrisy (if the Americans believed in intl law they'd try him under the ICC, no?)

I think Bush has made it clear he does not believe in international law. He criticized international law and courts when he set it up for the Iraqi's to try Saddam.

LaserWolf

Bush v. Sadaam?

I have to go with Saddaam. Bush is revivalist. I know some of you all prefer Sharon Jones over Lynn Collins, but I always think the original is best. Sadaam is the original "uniter not a divider". Bush is just bitting on Sadaams shtick.

motown67

Saddam is never going to make a comeback. But the situation is so bad right now with tit for tat sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites, plus different Shiite factions shooting at each other in cities in the South like Najaf and Basra, and the simmering tensions in Kirkuk and Mosul which the Kurds are trying to take over the objections of the Arabs and Turkoman, that things can only get worse.

There are already rumors spreading of a possible coup attempt against Prime Minister Maliki. If not that, then forcing him to resign and a junta taking over that would dissolve Parliament and enforce martial law. Of course, the fact that there aren't enough U.S. troops and the Iraqi police are part of the problem of sectarian violence rather than a solution, points to that path not working.

Things are fucked, what can you say. The Iraqi people went from one bad situation, living under a nut job like Saddam, to having their country torn apart by a brooding civil war after a U.S. invasion. We really fucked that country up and are not helping to make it better.

When the U.S. was just facing a Sunni insurgency they could've pulled out the troops and that probably would've dimmed the violence a lot. Now, if the U.S. withdraws that country will explode.