Defiant Saddam tells judge he is still president (Transcript)

Washington Times ^ | 7/02/04 | UPI

[kattracks]

BAGHDAD (UPI) -- The following are translated excerpts of the transcript of Saddam Hussein's arraignment yesterday in Baghdad:
    JUDGE: Name?
    SADDAM: Hussein Majid, the president of the Republic of Iraq. ...
    JUDGE: Profession? Former president of the Republic of Iraq?
    SADDAM: No, present. Current. It's the will of the people. ...
    JUDGE: Mr. Saddam, I am the investigative judge of the central court of Iraq.
    SADDAM: So that I have to know, you are an investigative judge of the central court of Iraq? What resolution, what law formed this court? ... Oh, the coalition forces? So you are an Iraqi that -- you are representing the occupying forces?
    JUDGE: No, I'm an Iraqi representing Iraq. ... I was appointed by a presidential decree under the former regime. ... I am a judge. In the former regime, I respect the judges. And I am resuming and continuing my work.
    You, as any other citizen, you have to answer to any accusation or charge, that's true. This is an arraignment, a charge. If it can be proven, then you will be convicted. If not, then everything is fine. The judicial due process is to bring back rights. If there's evidence, you'll be convicted. If there's no evidence, you will not. ...
    SADDAM: Are you a judge? You are a judge? And judges, they value the law. And they rule by the law, right? Right? ...
    When I say [I am the] president of the Republic of Iraq, it's not a formality or a holding fast to a position, but rather to reiterate to the Iraqi people that I respect its will. This is one.
    Number two, you summoned me to levy charges -- no, I -- you call it crimes.
    JUDGE: The investigative judge -- if there is evidence, then I'll defer it to a court of jurisdiction.
    SADDAM: Let me understand something. Who is the defendant? Any defendant when he comes to a court, before that there should be investigation.
    JUDGE: This is not a court. This is investigation. This is investigation now. ...
    SADDAM: From the legal standpoint, you were notified that I have lawyers, right? Am I not supposed to meet with the lawyers before I come before you?
    JUDGE: If you give me just 10 minutes, let's finish the formalities and I'll come to that. Then if you wait, then you will see that you have rights that are guaranteed. OK. Go ahead.
    According to the law, Mr. Saddam, the investigative judge has to give the defendant the charges that are levied against him. And then reading the rights of all the charges according to the law. ...
    SADDAM: The first step is, these articles, were they not signed by Saddam Hussein? Yes, this is the law that was in 1973. So then Saddam Hussein was representing the leadership and signed that law. So now you are using the law that Saddam signed against Saddam. Saddam was the people.
    Please, the constitutional mechanism -- I'm not a lawyer but I understand -- I am originally a man of law. Is it allowed to call a president elected by the people and charge him according to a law that was enacted under his will and the will of the people? ...
    JUDGE: So the crimes, the charges: intended killing by using chemical weapons in Halabja.
    SADDAM: No.
    JUDGE: Second, intended killing of a great number of Iraqis in 1983.
    Three, intended killing of a number of members of political parties without trials.
    Fourth, intended killing of many of the Iraqi religious people.
    Fifth, intended killing of many Iraqis in Anfal without any evidence against it.
    The [last] charge is against Saddam Hussein as president of the republic and the commander in chief of the army. And the army went into Kuwait.
    SADDAM: Even though this was not an invasion. Will the law judge Saddam Hussein because he defends Iraq?
    JUDGE: You are in a legal hearing and we will not allow you to speak in any way that is disrespectful to this court. ...
    I would like you to sign these documents formally, and this will go into the record. Answer to those charges. ...
    SADDAM: Then please allow me not to sign anything until the lawyers are present.
    JUDGE: That is fine. But this is your ...
    SADDAM: I speak for myself.
    JUDGE: Yes, as a citizen you have the right. But the guarantees you have to sign because these were read to you, recited to you. ...
    SADDAM: Why are you worried? I will come again before you with the presence of the lawyers, and you will be giving me all of these documents again. So why should we rush any action now and make mistakes because of rushed and hasty decisions or actions?
    JUDGE: No, this is not a hasty decision-making now. I'm just investigating. And we need to conclude and seal the minutes.
    SADDAM: No, I will sign when the lawyers are present.
    JUDGE: Then you can leave.
    SADDAM: Finished?
    JUDGE: Yes.
    •Transcript provided by the Federal Document Clearing House.
    

[null and void]

OoooooKAY!

[Britman]

I expect when he is hung, he will not be tortured and beaten for days beforehand....the "justice" he used to hand out to so many for so long. They tell me that Hell is a little warm this time of year Saddam.....

[walford]

"SADDAM: Saddam was the people."

This is the civil/governmental equivalent of blasphemy. It is comparable to a finite being asserting that he/she is doing the Will of the Almighty.

When an individual presumes to be the embodiment of popular will or anointed with superior wisdom to know what is best for everyone else, there is no limit in power or how it is exercised. No wonder the Left is so furious that he is no longer in power -- kindred spirits.

It is no accident that the most brutal regimes in the Middle East are also former colonies of European powers that were then experimenting with various forms of absolutism. [Libya was a former colony of Mussolini's Italy -- coincidence?

[Squantos]

I think old sad ass was in that hole wayyyyy too long.

Stay safe !

[goldstategop]

What's stiking is how American the whole proceeding is. In Saddam's Iraq, a man could be put to death on the dictator's mere say-so. Here the rule of law prevails over the arbitrary rule of men. As far as the Middle East goes, that is revolutionary, holding a man who ruled as a dictator with absolute impunity accountable. It kind of answers the pessimists who say Iraqis and Arabs are not capable of the exercise of free and orderly government.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

My fear is that he's going to get off.

First day, and he's already playing them. He knew he had to sign documents in the presence of his lawyers, so the first play was to not have the lawyers present. And if he didn't know, he still played them. A delaying tactic, power tactic, and trump.

Point awarded on Day 1:

Saddam 1
Iraqi Court 0

[OXENinFLA]

Raw Data Ping.............

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[OXENinFLA]

I don't see where he calls anyone dogs..


http://www.trivalleyherald.com/Stories/0,1413,86~10669~2248571,00.html

[Valin]

JUDGE: Name?
SADDAM: Hussein Majid, the president of the Republic of Iraq. ...
JUDGE: Profession? Former president of the Republic of Iraq?
SADDAM: No, present. Current. It's the will of the people. ...


That's really nice, your mother must be very proud.
Soon you'll get to be the LATE president of the Republic of Iraq.

[reagan_fanatic]

SADDAM: Finished? JUDGE: Yes.

Oh, you're finished alright.

I will celebrate your coming execution with great fanfare, as will a huge number of your fellow countrymen that you took pleasure in torturing and humiliating for so many years.

Paybacks are a b*tch.

[null and void]

No wonder the Left is so furious that he is no longer in power -- kindred spirits.

Bingo!

[tet68]

At least he and Algore share a common delusion.
Bwhahahahah!

[null and void]

Ouch!!!

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[StriperSniper]

Thanks, I've been wanting to read that. I've barely seen any of the video.

But at least now I'm done painting my Dad's house, just a few details left. :)

This could be an interesting spectacle, or a joke.

Saddam is well prepared in his mind, and probably could run rings around an inept court. Allawi seems like someone who might be the right one to run this, he seems pretty fearless. Remember, by the time the trial starts(probably), it will be after elections. Now that we have heard Saddam's position, a popularly elected government will be a strong weapon against him.