The Missing Story Nobody's Asking About.

[Solomon]

Where the hell is Saddam and what's happening there? What are the rules now with the Patriot Act and all.

Assuming he has been designated as an "enemy combatant" (which by the way as far as I know, has not been officially announced), then I assume he can be secretly held indefinitely without being charged, and without the right to counsel or other representation or visitor, or whatever, and maybe I'm wrong, but can he even be secretly tried under the act?

But if he is a prisoner of war, don't the rules of the Geneva Convention apply?

Anyway, I thought it odd and awkward that nothing is being said or asked about the status of Saddam. (And no, I'm not supporting Saddam just because I ask these questions, so please avoid, flaming me by saying that)

[notadmblnd]

1. He's going to be handed over...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1035597.htm

It was in the news today.

[fairfaxvadem]

3. thanks for the link on this story

of course, not from a US source, as usual.

[Octafish]

6. They'll give him the Ultimate Treatment

Degree Absolute.

[fairfaxvadem]

2. no flame from me, I was wondering the same thing...

on my way to class today I was thinking "where are they keeping Saddam, what have I missed in all of this?" I mean, for someone who was the biggest threat to the US since Tojo and Hitler (not to mention Osama), we have heard zilch on this guy, his status, where he is, what is the next move, etc.

And it's not in support of Saddam; it's in support of our troops and the over 500 dead US soldiers that I want to know. How many were killed and injured in the last two days alone because we had to invade and overthrow this creep? Well, I want to know, what has happened to Public Enemy #1??

[hlthe2b]

21. Asking about Saddam's whereabouts, treatment, and status...

don't reflect "support" of Saddam, it reflects concern for the long term integrity of our country and its place in the world. I'm against the death penalty, personally, but if we follow the international agreements that we signed so many years ago (including the Geneva Convention), he needs to receive the rights and conditions that implies. If he is tried by an internationally recognized Iraqi court (and not a kangaroo court the US sets up), then I can acknowledge their right to execute him, if that is the decision.

The secrecy though, only underscores international opinion that the Bush administration is calling the shots....

[JohnyCanuck]

4. Sources under deep cover within the intelligence community inform me

Saddam's undergoing plastic surgery and liposuction to make him look more like Osama. Once that's done, they'll put some lifts in his shoes and drop him in another spider hole, this time in Afghanistan. Come October we'll see video footage 24/7 of "Osama" being pulled out of his hole. In the meantime it'll be anounced Saddam had a heart attack and died while in custody. It's not like they aren't a lot of spare Iraqi bodies lying around, so it won't be a problem to find one, pop it in a coffin and bury it as Saddam.

[BevHarris]

7. LOL -- of course, why didn't we think of that?

But he's gonna need really big elevator shoes. Of course, sometimes I think, you know, they really could just go to a soundstage somewhere and shoot some footage with an actor. How the hell would we ever know?

Bev

[radiclib]

5. Good question. Now, if you want to be flamed for asking it...

...try Free Republic.;)

[Solomon]

8. But Here's Another Question.

If we do not find the weapons of mass destruction, on what basis do we have for holding Saddam? My take on the resolution thing was that we had the right to disarm him by force and locate and destroy the wmds, but if it turns out they are not found, then what basis does the UN resolution give us for holding him as an enemy combatant when he attacked him?

[gate of the sun]

9. " he gassed his own people"

lest we forget....though we never minded before he became our villian elect.....and there is some debate about what really happened in that incident but never mind.....

I think they will put him into the witness protection program....We all know he knows way to much.

[BevHarris]

10. Hmmm. That's a poser, Solomon.

Of course, that's assuming we live in the good ol' days when our government is expected to follow its own rules.

Bev

[Johnyawl]

11. Aside from his own people...

...both the Kuwaitis and the Iranians have an interest in trying him. Leave it to the bush administration to hand him over to our puppet government in Bahgdad, who will stage manage a trial without giving him the opportunity to implicate the US in his use of gas against the Iranians or Kurds

[markses]

13. The US military has no juridical basis for holding saddam or anyone else

Except as POWs. There are, as far as I know, no standing indictments against Saddam Hussein or anyone else in Iraq, before any internationally sanctioned juridical body whatsoever.

Just stating facts. Whether Saddam should be tried - or even indicted - for some act of his is another story. At this point, however, he is merely a POW and has full rights under the Geneva Convention.

[bvar22]

12. Saddam is undergoing intense psycho chemical...

...brainwashing. When he is finally released by the BFEE, he won't even be able to drool out his own name, much less the names of the people who put him into power and killed to keep him there.

[ConsAreLiars]

14. However

if done successfully he will name the Sierra Club, PETA, HRW and the DNC as collaborators.

[Solomon]

15. I think that if no wmds are found, they will have to turn him over to

Iraqi authorities for disposition. But there's still a problem left. If they don't find the wmds, then does that mean we committed war crimes?

[leftchick]

17. Bremer said the US is going to turn him over to the "Iraqis"

From an article yesterday:

<Ousted dictator Saddam Hussein remains in Iraq and will be handed over to a special court being set up by the US-appointed Governing Council to face charges of genocide and invasion of neighbouring countries, US administrator Paul Bremer said in an interview published on Saturday.

"Saddam is in Iraq now, and yes he will be tried publicly by a special Iraqi court when the prerequisites for setting up such a court are completed," Mr Bremer told the Arabic-language daily Asharq Al-Awsat.

"The Governing Council has started setting up the special court and we have spent some funds on that and he (Saddam) will be tried publicly after bringing charges of mass killing and invading neighbouring countries against him."

"Saddam will be handed over to the Governing Council after it finishes setting up the court." >

.....They are our "Iraqi Puppets" but Bremer doesn't see it that way and neither do Americans. Real Iraqi citizens recognize them for who they are though and that means this is really going to get messy. Also note what he will be charged with. No mention of those pesky WMD that went missing.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. The US granted Saddam POW status

a few weeks ago, even though they haven't bothered to mention whether or not they would abide by the Geneva Convention.

It was a sort of big story a few weeks ago, I'd have to google around to find a link. Of course the outrage is that Saddam was the brutal dictator being given POW status, while back in Gitmo 100's of Afghans are still being held has enemy combatants with no rights at all.

[dbt]

18. Frankie say Relax

Saddam won't live to go to trial, now will he?

:evilgrin:
dbt

[Why Knot]

19. Patriot Act

Saddam is done, he has no rights although I do not really feel sorry for him, as it's pretty obvious that he was a murderer and despot. However, my concern is with the so called Patriot Act. We were able to convince our municipal Borough Assembly to pass a resolution AGAINST the Patriot Act. That might be a good thing for others to do across the country in order to get back a bit of the freedom and liberty that so many good Americans have given their lives for....

[Solomon]

22. He has no rights? He has no rights?

What do you mean he has no rights? Good people have rights, but bad people don't? Level of civilization can be defined by how we treat the worse in society, not the best.

[newyawker99]

27. Hi Why Knot!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ElsewheresDaughter]

20. one would think the geneva convention would apply ...

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

23. Did we ever hear anything from Noriega?

They just captured him and no one ever heard from him again. No public trial from what I remember.

[Carl Spackler]

24. I dunno but his fingernails are for sale on ebay

[Solomon]

25. LOL! You made me laugh pretty good Spackler.

:thumbsup:

[burythehatchet]

26. If the glove don't fit - you must acquit

I never thought I would quote Johnny