The Saddam trial is becoming a circus. The new judge,Raouf Abdel-Rahman, a respected member of the judiciary and a victim in the sense that he hails from a village targetted/villified/ torched, by Saddam, has no control and is too lenient in his authority. No way should he have allowed the half-brother of Saddam to be dragged off physically, and, NO WAY, should he have dismissed Saddam or allowed him to gain the upper hand by shouting tirades at the court. What are these guys doing? Prosecuting and judging while shit-scared?
It is going to get worse.This trial is not going to work in the subversive, shaky and unstable Iraq. Saddam must be moved away, to the Hague perhaps, and tried in NEUTRAL territory. I have blogged before that Saddam should be handed over to Carla De Ponte and I re-iterate that feeling.
The circus happening now will work in Saddam's favour. We are already finding Saddam and his mafia influencing events. For goodness sake, this man is in the dock, he is no longer in charge. He must be tried fairly and without theatrics. He must be tried strictly, as he is a war criminal. He must be tried away from inside influence. HE MUST BE TRIED PROPERLY!
The sooner we realize that and the sooner we make OTHER arrangements, the better. I know the Iraquis wish to try Saddam on homeground and I understand why. But it is not going to work. We are going to see more ridiculous events in that courtroom unless someone becomes savvy to this theatrical mess and decides to re-locate!