Ex-U.S. Attorney General Ready To Defend Saddam

IslamOnline.net ^ | Dec. 15 2003 | Mustafa Abdel-Halim

[Senator Pardek]

CAIRO, December 15 (IslamOnline.net) – Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsy Clarke expressed readiness Sunday, December 14, to act as defense lawyer for ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, with western analysts suspecting the captured leader would be given fair trial.

"Certainly, why not. I am ready to act in his defense," Clarke told IslamOnline.net shortly after the U.S. confirmed the detention of Saddam near Tikrit.

Clarke, currently in Cairo to attend a two-day international anti-occupation conference, stressed that Saddam – however brutal – should be give a "fair, objective and impartial trial".

"Saddam must be domestically prosecuted first and - if this fails - he should be referred to an international court," said the former American official, known for his staunch opposition to the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq.

He doubted, however, that the ousted Iraqi president would be given such a fair trial.

Clarke averred that neither the U.S.-installed Interim Governing Council (IGC) nor the occupation forces is eligible to try the overthrown president.

"The IGC does not represent Iraq. It is Bush's council," said the former U.S. attorney general.

He noted that the Iraqi body was quick to say that DNA test proved the captured man was Saddam.

"Do you think that they can take the test themselves. They are puppets," Clarke maintained.

For the occupation forces to take over the trial, he dismissed this as a would-be ridiculous proposal.

"Occupation of Iraq is in itself an international crime" and runs counter to common decency and moral integrity.

Asked if Saddam could be taken to the International Criminal Court, the former U.S. attorney general whimsically ruled out the suggestion, noting Washington does not even recognize the court.

[squidly]

I thought Ramsey Clark was LBJ's AG.

He was.

[Lady In Blue]

The Vatican being against the war is NOT THE SAME as being for Hussein. It's not true. People think they can get away with it.Show me the source where Pope John Paul says that he supports Hussein.Otherwise,you owe him and the Catholic church an apology for this slander.You can call it whining but I'll continue to support my church against slander and lies.This pope has always fought for the rights of people to live freely.

[Republican Wildcat]

Ramsy Clarke

I think whoever wrote this article has moved the 'e' to the wrong place...it should be Ramsey Clark...someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[TXBlair]

"Clark is a real piece of work, isn't he?"

He's certainly a piece of something.

[Lady In Blue]

You're welcome,kitkat! I appreciate you siding with me.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

France took the same stance as the vatican. Yet they are viewed as supporting Saddam. So the difference is? The difference is some people are too afraid - or ignorant - to call a spade a spade.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Opposing the war based on religious grounds is hardly equivalent to supporting Saddam being in power.

Ahhh... but the Vatican, and therefore by extension the church, do hold to the concept of "just war". However, apparently, the liberating of an oppressed people by a tyrant who orders people shredded is not, in their view, a "just war". Therefore, it stands to reason that if they oppose the war, then they support the status quo, which was Saddam still in power.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

This pope has always fought for the rights of people to live freely

Bingo.

He supports Saddam. Thanks for saying it.

[Walkingfeather]

ME THINKS PANSEY clark is on that list of people saddam was paying. I think we need to do a FOIA on that list.

[Republican Wildcat]

He was Lyndon Johnson's AG.

Carter's is actually a decent fellow. He endorsed Bush, if I recall correctly, and also supported Clinton's impeachment.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Agreed, but you and I know that time spent explaining this to the blind is wasted.

[Howlin]

You have to be a Scott Peterson junkie to get that one!

[Ichneumon]

Is this a joke??!!

Only in the sense that Ramsey Clarke himself is a joke.

Here, for example, he says that "THE UNITED STATES IS THE GREATEST PURVEYOR OF VIOLENCE ON EARTH", and "AN ATTACK BY THE U.S. ON IRAQ WOULD VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES REQUIRING IMPEACHMENT, TRIAL BEFORE THE U.S. SENATE AND CRIMINAL CHARGES IN FEDERAL COURTS AGAINST PRESIDENT BUSH AND ALL OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE", among other deluded statements.

[Lion in Winter]

He is an amoral sob.... and a commie.

[Ben Hecks]

Bump to read later.

[GeronL]

Clark, he was born on another planet... planet DU

[Chad Fairbanks]

The Vatican being against the war is NOT THE SAME as being for Hussein. It's not true. People think they can get away with it.Show me the source where Pope John Paul says that he supports Hussein.Otherwise,you owe him and the Catholic church an apology for this slander.You can call it whining but I'll continue to support my church against slander and lies.This pope has always fought for the rights of people to live freely.

Well, I think you are wrong. They called the impending war "unjust" and "immoral", and offered tow alternatives to war:

A. Ask Saddam to step down voluntarily, and leave the country. They KNEW he wouldn't do that. Or...

B. Ask Saddam to comply with U.N. Resolutions in order to avoid war.

Since they considered B. an option, that means they supported him remaining in power, free to oppress, rape, murder, torture his people as he chose to...

If they had the balls to consider it a "just war", I'd cut them some slack, but since they honestly considered the concept of allowing Saddam to remain in power, that means they logically supported him.

Oops. I don't owe you, or any of the Catholic leaders anything.

[Mike Darancette]

Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsy Clarke expressed readiness Sunday, December 14, to act as defense lawyer for ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, with western analysts suspecting the captured leader would be given fair trial.

Hey, Ramsy, Iraq has an article in their new constitution whereby Saddam's defense attorney is to suffer the same fate as Saddam.

[Catspaw]

I figured the ANSWER crowd, led by Ramsey Clark, would want to defend Saddam. I wonder where that butt-ugly lawyer, Lynn whats-her-name (the one under indictment for helping Abdul Rahman) would want to help, but as long as she's out on bond, she probably can't leave the country. I'm *sure* Medea Benjamin is rushing to Saddam's side as we speak.

I did see someone from the International Red Cross on one of the national news shows (probably ABC) tonight all but demanding that the IRC see Saddam ASAP. I wonder where their concern was when Saddam was filling up those mass graves.

[GeronL]

Ramsey Clark is.... Commie Man!