| Saddam Hussein, The Democratic Party, The NY Times, and CNN all seem to agree - "the real criminal is Bush". |  |
Posted by: Fritz ®  07/01/2004, 13:20:56 |
Excerpted from the NY Times:  July 1, 2004 First Public Appearance by Former Dictator in 7 Months Saddam Hussein defiantly faced an Iraqi judicial hearing today in Baghdad, where he was read seven preliminary charges against him that included the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, the suppression of the Shiite uprising, and the gassing and ethnic cleansing of the Kurds, according to a television pool report. "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq," Mr. Hussein replied twice when he answered the judge, whose first question was to ask his name. According to the report — by the CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour, who was present in the courtroom — Mr. Hussein appeared defiant but focused and coherent. At one point he said, "This is all a theater; the real criminal is Bush."............... And The Assorted Press version of Saddam in Court: Misunderstood Saddam Hussein Tells Court He Tried to Avert War Mr. Hussein, The Democratic Party, The NY Times, and CNN agree - "the real criminal is Bush". By The ASSORTED PRESS July 1, 2004 (TAP) -- In court today, Saddam Hussein revealed that he desperately tried to avert the Coalition attack on Iraq in March but could not find the phone number to President Bush at the White House. On the stand today, apparently in agreement with the Democratic Party, CNN and the NY Times, Mr. Hussein complained that, "This is all a theater; the real criminal is Bush." The Iraqi dictator said he wanted to offer sweeping concessions, and even "unconditional terms", but his intelligence officers could not find a way to directly contact U.S. President George Bush. "What we have here is a failure to communicate," said John F. Kerry, President Bush's Democratic opponent for president and a self-admitted "war hero". "The Bush administration didn't do enough to publicize the White House phone number. This statement by Saddam shows that he was contrite and ready to cooperate with any and all U.S. demands. We have no one to blame but George Bush for overthrowing this repentant man." According to Saddam Hussein, after he failed to find the White House number he attempted to contact the White House by... -- calling the Democratic National Committee -- calling Barbra Streisand -- calling Michael Moore -- calling Ramsey Clark. All expressed sympathy but said they were not on speaking terms with the president of the United States. Eventually, the Dixie Chicks met with Mr. Kamana Wanalaia, the director of the Iraqi Intelligence Service who offered, among other concessions, to turn over al Qaeda operatives involved in terrorism against the United States. U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said his office had monitored the Dixie Chick's contacts with Kamana Wanalia but eventually rejected the information as unreliable. "After all," said Mr. Rumsfeld, "According to the NY Times and the American Left, Saddam had no ties to al Qaeda or any other global terror network." Copied Right 2004, The Assorted Press and Benedictine Brother, "stop the chanting", Fritz |