Anfal: Genocide on trial

[dipsydoodle]

The decision in April to charge Saddam Hussein with the crime of genocide could have the effect of giving his trial added legitimacy in the eyes of many Iraqis.

At the same time, it is likely to make the proceedings immensely more complex and lengthy, thereby threatening that same legitimacy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4775103.stm

There was another thread on on the issue of whether he should have been tried at the Haque - please cross link if you know where it is.

[Briar]

1. Interesting charge

What Saddam allegedly did in that campaign was to try to quash the insurgency by displacing the peoples the insurgents represented - Kurds fighting against Iraqi repression. This is the same tactic as was used by the US in Vietnam and by the Israelis in Southern Lebanon just a few days ago. I do not have to point out that Americans and Israelis are unlikely ever to be charged for the crimes committed during their respective campaigns. And I daresay everyone remembers that Saddam had American support during his war against Iran (virtually a proxy American war). I suspect that whatever definition is arrived at for genocide, it will remain a crime of which only those people without western support are accused.