Freedom's Fidelity

Monday, February 13, 2006

The Saddam Defense

The Saddam and friends trial continues despite their best efforts to childishly make it into a circus:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein was forced to attend his trial Monday, looking haggard and wearing an Arab robe rather than his usual suit but walking in on his own, shouting "Down with Bush!"

...Even their dress signaled their defiance. Ibrahim wore white undershirt and brown long underwear, his head bare without the Arab headdress he insisted on wearing in past sessions as a mark of dignity.

Saddam carried a Quran and wore a blue galabeya — a traditional Arab robe — with a black overcoat, a stark contrast to the tailored black suits he has worn to past sessions. He had dark bedroom slippers.

The defendants are brought to the court building from detention by armed guards before each day's session and remain in the building even if they refuse to enter the court.

The defendants had vowed not to participate in the trial until the return of their lawyers. "Why have you brought us with force?" Saddam shouted at Abdel-Rahman. "Your authority gives you the right to try a defendant in absentia. Are you trying to overcome your own smallness?"

"The law will be implemented," Abdel-Rahman replied.
"Degradation and shame upon you, Raouf," Saddam yelled. Later, he called the investigating judges "homosexuals."

You read that right, Saddam is using the gay defense! Dave Price comments:

Ah yes, the old "You're gay!" defense, still a favorite of fourth-graders everywhere. Well, when you can't just order people executed or gassed anymore, I guess you go with what you've got.

It's amazing really: from iron-fisted ruler of 25 million people to childish, demented Jerry Springeresque defendant in a bathrobe.

Funny.

I've grown tired of all of Saddam's antics, I wish they would stop allowing him to disrupt his own trial and instead force him to sit in his cell alone until he can behave. But what could I have expected? Garbage in, garbage out, but at least we may get some laughs along the way.

posted by Paul  permalink | |