07 November 2006

Shake hands with the devil?


Just two days after being sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against humanity Saddam Hussein seems to have been born again and is urging Iraqis to seek reconciliation.

"I call on all Iraqis, Arabs and Kurds, to forgive, reconcile and shake hands," the former president told the court as second genocide trial commenced, this time in relation to the Anfal campaign during which more than 180,000 people are believed to have died in the Anfal campaign.

Saddam Hussein was subdued in court on Tuesday, in contrast to his defiance on Sunday as his death sentence was read out. Speaking to the court in the afternoon session, Saddam Hussein cited references to the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus who had asked for forgiveness for those who had opposed them. In a markedly different atmosphere to Sunday, his call for mutual reconciliation came after he had respectfully challenged one witness' testimony.

Call me mister cynical but I somehow doubt that the all new touchy feely Saddam will cut much ice with many. Of course Iraq needs reconciliation but perhaps Saddam could have prevented many of its ills with a few simple hand shakes in the past:

Instead of invading Iran and precipitating the first gulf war, perhaps he could have shaken hands with Ayatollah Khomeni- It would have gained just as much land (nil) and would have meant the best part of a million young Iranian and Iraqi men would not have died needlessly, let alone the many more left mutilated.

Perhaps it should have occurred to him to shake hands with the Kurds instead of gassing them,

A simple handshake to the emir of Kuwait instead of seeking to make that country the 19th province of Iraq?

Handshakes all round to the Marsh Arabs and his political opponents, real and perceived?

Oh Saddam, If only you had thought of it earlier!

8 comments:

Frank Partisan said...

I agree with every word of this post.

Now the jerk is going to go down a martyr, to top things off.

Roland Dodds said...

Well said comrade! A whole lot, too late.

jams o donnell said...

He probably is looking with at least one eye on martyrdom Ren, although I just can't see this St Saddam of Assisi ploy holding much water!

THanks, Roland.. if only he had though of it earlier, eh!

Anonymous said...

"I call on all Iraqis, Arabs and Kurds, to forgive, reconcile and shake hands"

Sounds great, but it would carry more weight if Saddam just admitted that he is guilty as charged.

Agnes said...

"Saddam Hussein cited references to the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus who had asked for forgiveness for those who had opposed them." - great sentence. Coulnd't be more ironic, if one has in view how did the Baath treat the opposition. Also, forgiveness should be mentioned along with repentance, as the Good Book says, but somehow he did not show much of the latter during the trial.

jams o donnell said...

Very true, Roger, but I think he actually believes his hands are clean.

Again very true, Red. Not a shred of remorse.

elasticwaistbandlady said...

No mullets, shitbags use other means to get into a hole, namely booze, and a lot of corny compliments!

Hmmm, so now Saddam can join me in a rousing chorus of "Love Is The Answer." I wonder if he's a baritone? This has taught me a whole lot. When I become Dictator, instead of putting my enemies feet first into wood chippers, I will simply smile and shake their hands......while injecting venomous poison into their systems through the skin contact. Isn't that what Saddam's message subliminally meant?

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I have one phrase for you mullets; "Get Crazy With The Cheez Whiz."