December 22, 2005
One of the Most Ironic Statements Ever
I am not writing about the transit strike today, because there is only so much one can say about it...
While trawling today's news stories, one about the trial of Saddam Hussein caught my eye. Sure he's been ranting about physical abuse while being imprisoned (of course, he doesn't offer to show the bruises), but that's to be expected. His half-brother, however, said something that made my jaw drop.
Barzan [Ibrahim al-Tikriti ], who has emerged as the most outspoken of the defendants, eclipsing even Saddam, complained about the way the trial was being televised. It is being broadcast with a delay of 30 minutes to allow court officials to censor images and sound.
Occasionally the officials have cut the sound, usually when Saddam or Barzan have been speaking.
"If the sound is cut off once again, then I don't know about my comrades but I personally won't attend again," Barzan said on Thursday. "This is unjust and undemocratic."
Coming from a man who was part of one of the most murderous dictatorial regimes in modern history, this has to be one of the most ludicrous claims of all time. He should be grateful he's even getting a trial and not being handed over to the people for a special brand of vigilante justice.
He's on trial for the murder of 148 people in the 1980s after a failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein's life. Was there a trial for them?
Pitiful.
Show Comments »
Hello hello.
With regards to the 'Ironic Statement' entry, I'm under the impression that you have er, misconstrued the sardonic tone of Barzan's 'unjust and undemocratic' statement. I believe this is a snide pillory at the 'democracy' (or lack thereof) in Iraq in the present.
The point, you ask. Well, I put to you; can a 'democratic' state claim to be simultaenously just and democratic (liberty, fraternity and what not), and practice censorship? If no, then one would have to have reservations about the 'democracy' that we speak of. If your answer is yes, one would need to justify a 30 minute delay in the airing of the trial, and the near constant interference with the aired product (when Saddam and co speak), as legitimate trappings of a democratic system, and reconcile this with the ideals of fair and balanced trail, and whatnot that is a hallmark of all Western democracies.
On another note, the meaning of this statement could be er, taken in reference to other historically democratic nations, whose democracy's are slowly eroding. I don't think I need to spell it out ...
I too agree that Saddam (and his ilk) aren't the best examples of the human condition, but I would have thought that he would be on trial for more than 148 deaths? This guy is a mass murdering dictator (in the words of Monsieur Bush, assuredly), and one would think he'd be responsible and on trial for more grievous crimes. What about the Kurdish gassing, and all the other allegations repeated over and over and over in the media? Are you American's still gathering the evidence? Is there evidence to gather?
I think these are a few good questions to reflect on. The really IRONIC thing is that it took a totalitarian dictator and his minions to bring such a reflection about.
Regards.
Posted by: Badshahi at June 16, 2006 10:09 AM
