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Saddam's Lawyer: Execution at Dawn, Court Petition Filed in D.C.

Update: Saddam's lawyer Giovanni diStephano is on CNN right now (from Rome) saying that a petition for a temporary restraining order has been filed in federal court in DC to prevent Saddam's turnover to Iraqi authorities. It has been assigned to Judge Sullivan.

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Via Raw Story and AFP:

An anonymous lawyer for Saddam was now claiming Hussein will be executed on Saturday at dawn.

I'm not buying the U.S. denial and claim that Saddam remains in U.S. custody:

Raising the tension, US authorities also cancelled a planned meeting on Saturday between Saddam and his defense team, lawyer Issam Ghazawi told AFP. "I just received an email from US authorities in Baghdad in which a security official said it has been decided to cancel our visit planned for Saturday in Baghdad with president Saddam Hussein," Ghazawi said.

"We can't have you in Baghdad tomorrow. We cannot provide any protection for you. You can't see Saddam because he is not in our physical custody anymore," said the email according to Ghazawi, who read it by phone to an AFP reporter.

The White House is denying responsibility for the execution:

The White House refused to comment, repeating its statement: "This is an issue for the Iraqi government. We are observers to this process."

The paperwork is in order and has been signed.

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  • Display: Sort:
    riverbend (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 02:43:50 PM EST
    The White House is denying responsibility for the execution:

    hmmmm....that is not what the Iraqis think.

    riverbend has a new post:

    Why make things worse by insisting on Saddam's execution now? Who gains if they hang Saddam? Iran, naturally, but who else? There is a real fear that this execution will be the final blow that will shatter Iraq. Some Sunni and Shia tribes have threatened to arm their members against the Americans if Saddam is executed. Iraqis in general are watching closely to see what happens next, and quietly preparing for the worst.

     This is because now, Saddam no longer represents himself or his regime. Through the constant insistence of American war propaganda, Saddam is now representative of all Sunni Arabs (never mind most of his government were Shia). The Americans, through their speeches and news articles and Iraqi Puppets, have made it very clear that they consider him to personify Sunni Arab resistance to the occupation. Basically, with this execution, what the Americans are saying is "Look- Sunni Arabs- this is your man, we all know this. We're hanging him- he symbolizes you." And make no mistake about it, this trial and verdict and execution are 100% American. Some of the actors were Iraqi enough, but the production, direction and montage was pure Hollywood (though low-budget, if you ask me).

    read the whole thing and weep for the Iraqi people

    When is Bush's trial? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:04:23 PM EST
    Bush does this to the Iraqi people...
    A day in the life of the average Iraqi has been reduced to identifying corpses, avoiding car bombs and attempting to keep track of which family members have been detained, which ones have been exiled and which ones have been abducted.

    ...for this?
    My only conclusion is that the Americans want to withdraw from Iraq, but would like to leave behind a full-fledged civil war because it wouldn't look good if they withdraw and things actually begin to improve, would it?

    --from river (via Squeaky's link)



    Parent
    A day in the life of the average Iraqi (1.00 / 2) (#10)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:21:26 PM EST
    Edger - "average" would mean that 50% do these things and 50% do not.

    Given that the population is around 25 million, that would mean about 12.5 million do these things.

    Not to be picky, but I don't think that passes the reasonableness test.

    In fact it sounds like a huge overstatement that has  no connection to fact or reality.

    Parent

    How's This: (5.00 / 2) (#11)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:30:33 PM EST

     `Do you hear the snow against the window-panes, Kitty? How nice and soft it sounds! Just as if some one was kissing the window all over outside. I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again." And when they wake up in the summer, Kitty, they dress themselves all in green, and dance about -- whenever the wind blows -- oh, that's very pretty!' cried Alice, dropping the ball of worsted to clap her hands. `And I do so wish it was true! I'm sure the woods look sleepy in the autumn, when the leaves are getting brown.
    ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

    Parent
    Hanging Saddam - its part of the plan (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by soccerdad on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:04:42 PM EST
    to provoke a major escalation in the ME.

    Yes (none / 0) (#3)
    by Al on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:25:46 PM EST
    I think you're exactly right. It's an act of provocation.

    Parent
    Bye Bye Saddam (2.00 / 1) (#14)
    by ProgressiveRick on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 08:44:23 PM EST
    Capital punishment is never a pleasant thing. But to allow this monster to live, and live with the hope that his supporters may someday gain sufficient power to have him released is a horrible miscarriage of justice to the families and victims of the THOUSANDS of innocent victims of his insane desire to remain in absolute power over the people of Iraq.

    Many years ago, I opened the newspaper and saw a picture of a family, including a child and her mother sprawled out on their front lawn victims of Saddams chemical weapons attack on a simple village that just happened to be the home town of some people who disagreed with his dictatorial regime and its persecution of Shi'a Moslems.

    In memory of that picture alone, I'll personlly feel a sense of justice when I hear he is dead. I HURT when I saw it, and its horrible brutality has never left me.

    This man has personally murdered hundreds and ordered the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

    His death will not cause more conflict.

    His supporters will of course be upset, but they are already among the ones planting the bombs...

    The conflict is a continuation of the centuries old conflict between Sunni and Shi'a sects... Saddam was Sunni and subjugated the Shi'a... and the Kurds... unless a government capable of bringing the various groups together, there will truly be civil war and many thousands more will die. It is pursuit of that government that OUR government is now working towards. Too bad the Iraqi's don't have there own version of Abe Lincoln.

    Perhaps with Saddams death, enough of the  Sunni's who hope and kill for a return of the "good" old days, will realize that this is not possible, and only a democratic form of government that insures the rights of all Iraqi's is the only possible way of averting a major bloodbath and providing a chance for a life without constant fear of death at any time for any reason.

    Bye Bye Saddam... Let Allah have a crack at you. I'm sure he is waiting.

    Bill Arnett, keep beating that dead (1.00 / 1) (#13)
    by bx58 on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 06:12:57 PM EST
    "war for oil" horse. As Dan Rather would say "that dog just won't hunt."

    I don't think the oil companies made Congress act like treasonous shills this past July, while the final shreds of our international dignity were torn away.

    The making of permanent war (none / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:37:30 PM EST
    If the deposed Iraqi leader is executed now, the country's Sunnis will always think of Saddam's rule as a golden era
    By ROBERT BAER
    All they care about is this: as the current war grinds on, as Iraq's death toll starts to approach Saddam's deadly legacy, as the Sunnis lose more and more of their power, as memories fade, Iraq's Sunni will think of Saddam's rule as a golden era. They'll remember Saddam as the leader who kept Iraq together, kept them on top and prosperous, kept the Shi'a and the Kurds in their place, and kept the Iranians from invading during the Iran-Iraq war. They may never look at Saddam as Saladin, the Muslim general who liberated Jerusalem in 1187. But when the rough edges do wear off, Sunnis will look at Saddam as a martyr.

    Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer assigned to the Middle East



    End of Another Year... (none / 0) (#6)
    by squeaky on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:59:32 PM EST
    Not just the Sunnis but all the Iraqis.

    Number five on riverbends top ten list

     You know your country is in trouble when:


    An 8-year war and 13-year blockade are looking like the country's 'Golden Years'.


    Parent
    yes... (none / 0) (#8)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:05:14 PM EST
    Dawn? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 03:41:25 PM EST
    "We can't have you in Baghdad tomorrow. We cannot provide any protection for you. You can't see Saddam because he is not in our physical custody anymore,"

    I think he's already dead...

    They did not say they WILL not.... (none / 0) (#9)
    by Edger on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:14:56 PM EST
    ...they said they CANNOT...

    Parent
    Alas, we must urge great speed and kill... (none / 0) (#12)
    by Bill Arnett on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 04:41:47 PM EST
    ...him fast,
    American hegemony may not last.
    And on the way to WWIII
    There may not be much to see,
    'Cept for the evil of King george, at last.

    And as the Middle East goes up in flames,
    There will be plenty of Americans to blame,
    Many Americans to shuffle off this mortal coil,
    In support of this illegal war for oil,
    The reason why the Americans came.

    So Saddam must go, he must die now,
    Before the public figures out how
    It 'twas Americans that created Saddam
    Just as they had before created Vietnam,
    They send our troops to die for bush's vow.