[nicmarlo]

It is kinda sad really. I can't imagine having self-denial down to that extent and then having to walk away from the only "security" you ever knew.

You know, we should be as angry with him as we are with all the other generals and underlings of Saddam. But you don't see this outpouring of anger and hatred for him, not even from President Bush. Why is this????? Is it because he made us laugh? sometimes so very hard? He's no better for that, is he? He was as complicit with the evil regime as if he did it (and may have) himself. But, for whatever reason, I don't feel the same animosity towards him, at all. Perhaps we should; but I don't. And I think it's because he made me laugh, and I even admired his attempts to go on (but that was not good, either, if you think about it---"go on" meant keeping Saddam in power and the Republican Guard and the Fayadeen and the children in prison, etc.). I do feel sorry for him. Perhaps laughter brings these feelings.

[sweetliberty]

It seems he may have been a slave to Saddam, based on what this article says. In such a regime individuals cannot really be held to the same standards of accountability as in a country such as the United States because so often they have no choice....it is a matter of do what Saddam says or die. It certainly doesn't sound as if he was treated in any way as one of Saddam's elites. I have to say though, this has to be one of the worst cases of "Stockholm Syndrome" I have ever heard of. Besides, I think because he did make us laugh, we really want to see him somehow vindicated, or at least redeemed.

[elmer fudd]

I think the reason you don't see any outpouring of anger against him is because he appears to have been a minor flunky rather than a war criminal. Yep, he lied up a storm for a despicable regime, but I haven't heard that he was responsible for any real crimes like rape, torture, genocide, abuse of prisoners, etc... If he was then lets put him in front of a tribunal, but if all he did was lie then he's no more guilty than a used car salesman.

[Risa]

>>But you don't see this outpouring of anger and hatred for him, not even from President Bush. Why is this????? <<

I found Baghdad Bob's rantings to be irritating and pathetic. After all, he was lying to his own people, and by deceiving them about the location of the American forces, while encouraging them to fight, he was sending them off to certain death--all while he stood safely at his little T.V post.

I think we shouldn't attribute some warm, human quality to Baghdad Bob, just because his absurd rantings elicited our laughter. People always laugh at the absurd--in this case-- the juxtaposition of contrasting realities.

(just my personal thoughts on the matter.)

regards, risa