Saddam To Hang For War Crimes

Clashes, Celebrations As Former Iraqi President Is Sentenced To Death

(CBS/AP)  Iraq's High Tribunal on Sunday found Saddam Hussein guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to hang for the 1982 killing of 148 Shiites in the city of Dujail. The visibly shaken former leader shouted, "God is great!"

His half-brother and former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, head of the former Revolutionary Court, were sentenced to join Saddam on the gallows.

After the verdict was read, a shaken Saddam yelled out, "Life for the glorious nation, and death to its enemies!"

Some feared the verdicts could intensify Iraq's sectarian violence after a trial that stretched over nine months in 39 sessions and ended nearly 3 1/2 months ago.

Clashes immediately broke out in north Baghdad's heavily Sunni Azamiyah district where police were battling men with machine guns. At least seven mortar shells slammed to earth around the Abu Hanifa mosque, the holiest Sunni shrine in the capital. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Sunni political leader Salih al-Mutlaq condemned the court decision.

"This government will be responsible for the consequences, with the deaths of hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands, whose blood will be shed," al-Mutlaq told the al-Arabiya satellite television station.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Saddam Hussein's trial was fair, but won't comment on the verdict or death sentence for security reasons.

The White House applauded the verdict. President Bush called the verdict "a milestone in the Iraqi people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law."

"It's a major achievement for Iraq's young democracy and its constitutional government," the president said at the airport before flying to Nebraska and Kansas on a campaign swing for Republican candidates two days before congressional elections.

"The man who once struck fear in the hearts of Iraqis had to listen to free Iraqis recount the acts of torture and murder that he ordered against their families and against them," Bush said in brief remarks.

Mr. Bush recognizes that extremists and other Saddam loyalists might react violently, but the president believes Iraqi leaders and American and Iraqi security forces can keep contain any outbreaks, presidential counselor Dan Bartlett said.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the verdict brought long deserved justice for Iraqis. But he said Iraq has descended into a civil war and that Iraqis "have traded a dictator for chaos" since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003.

Neither option is acceptable, he said, when U.S. troops who are caught in the middle.

During Sunday's hearing, Saddam initially refused the chief judge's order to rise; two bailiffs lifted the ousted ruler to his feet and he remained standing through the sentencing.

Saddam and seven co-defendants were on trial for killing 148 Shiites in a wave of revenge in the city of Dujail following a 1982 assassination attempt.

Saddam's half brother Barzan Ibrahim was also sentenced to hang. Former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan got life in prison for premeditated murder.

Three others were found guilty of murder and sentenced to 15 years behind bars. One, a Baath Party official, walked free because of insufficient evidence.

Celebratory gunfire rang out elsewhere in Baghdad, and the people in Sadr City, the capital's Shiite slum, celebrated in the streets, calling out, "Where are you, Saddam? We want to fight you."

A jubilant crowd of young men carried pictures of radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and handed out candy to children.

But Saddam supporters rallied in his hometown of Tikrit. One thousand people defied the curfew and carried pictures of the city's favorite son through the streets, chanting "Saddam, we'll give our blood for you."

Al-Dulaimi, Saddam's lawyer, told the Associated Press his client called on Iraqis to reject sectarian violence and called on them to refrain from
taking revenge on U.S. invaders.

"His message to the Iraqi people was, 'Pardon and do not take revenge on the invading nations and their people'," al-Dulaimi said, quoting Saddam. "The president also asked his countrymen to 'unify in the face of sectarian strife."'

"Saddam Hussein's conviction and sentence to death by hanging for crimes against humanity are unlikely to bring the hoped-for national reconciliation in Iraq but it will bring some closure to the majority Shiite population who suffered under Hussein's dictatorship," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk, an international lawyer.

"The trial was plagued from the beginning, just over a year ago, by security problems and violence against lawyers, witnesses and judges, and the Tribunal was accused at times of being an occupation court and victors' justice, but the evidence presented was gripping and a tragic record of the methods and brutality of Saddam's rule," Falk added. "The Tribunal decision is unlikely to calm the sectarian violence that mires U.S. forces in Iraq, but it is a reminder that the divisions in Iraq are deep-set and pre-date coalition involvement in the region."

The United States Embassy issued a statement under the name of Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who said the verdicts "demonstrate the commitment of the Iraqi people to hold them (Saddam and his co-defendants) accountable."

"Although the Iraqis may face difficult days in the coming weeks, closing the book on Saddam and his regime is an opportunity to unite and build a better future," Khalilzad said.

Saddam faces additional charges in a separate case over an alleged massacre of Kurdish civilians. It wasn't clear when a verdict would be announced in that other case, or when Saddam's sentence would be carried out.

Before the trial began, one of Saddam's lawyers, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, was ejected from the courtroom after handing the judge a memorandum in which he called the Saddam trial a travesty.

Judge Raouf Abdul-Rahman pointed to Clark and said in English, "Get out."

Clark had said earlier the way Saddam's trial was perceived would set important precidents in Iraq.

"And unless it is seen as absolutely fair and is absolutely fair in fact, it will irreconcilably divide the people of Iraq," he said.

Clark also said that the trial would never be fair unless the defense was protected. It was a prophetic warning: three defense lawyers were murdered as the trial progressed, along with a judge and a lawyer working for the court.

In the wake of the verdict and sentencing, Baghdad was placed under a total curfew, with shops shuttered and pedestrians and vehicles almost completely absent from the streets of the city of six million people. Iraqi security forces and U.S. troops mounted additional patrols, but no major incidents had been reported.

"There is close cooperation between Iraqi and coalition forces in maintaining the curfew," said police Maj. Mahir Hamad Mousa of the al-Khansa station in Baghdad's Jadeeda district. "We have fully prepared for this duty," he said.

[caseybach]

I am generally against the death penalty, because I don't think one should try to show people to respect life by killing people. But I have to say, there are those people who are exceptions. People like Saddam are not normal, and I am glad they have decided to off him. Hang him high.

[heetseeker]

The judgement against Saddam is a double-edged sword... surely there will be wide-spread (if slightly nervous)jubilation amongst the Kurdis and Shiites... the Iranian's and Kuwati's will also be delighted at the outcome.. So what happens next?

I understand that the sentence will not be carried out immediately... and that instead further trials are planned... focusing on Saddam's operations in Kurdistan, Iran and Kuwait... That will indeed be interesting...

Will we see that photograph of Saddam meeting with the current secretary of defence... will he be able to enter into evidence the fact that during the Iran/ Iraq war... he purchased weapons of mass slaughter from the US Government?

It is difficult to be overly optimistic about much in Iraq... even the death of our old nemesis Saddam, may in the end... create more problems than solutions...

In a culture that values martydom, surely Saddam Hussein must think that he can't loose...

Saddam is going to pay for his crimes against the Iraqi people.

The question is - when will GW Bush pay for his crimes against the Iraqi people.

[monceau1]

This is ridiculous. It's 2006. Even the people celebrating his death sentence are anti-American (the guys giving out candy). This is ridiculous.

[kcstan11]

That's too bad. The one man who was able to maintain PEACE in Iraq gets a death sentance for killing 148 Tribesmen who tried to kill him.

Now we know why all of George Bush's messengers have been making unannounced visits to Iraq in recent weeks.

When will George Bush be put on trial for starting his own "100 Year War" in Iraq that has so far cost us almost 3000 lives of US servicemen?

[kcstan11]

Another Karl Rove election gimick. Hey Karl, when all else fails you can always try another Yellow or Red terrorist alert on election day ... remember those Karl?

[caseybach]

George Bush is a bad speaker and communicates very badly with other nations, but he isn't a criminal in the same sense as Saddam. He is an embarrasment to us and causes more problems than we deserve; but he doesn't deserve to be killed.

If the United Nations would start taking world security seriously our stupid president wouldn't have had to take us into Iraq alone. I realize some may disagree. But do you at least agree that the UN does not seem to be able to come to an agreement that with the present state of technology, that the world is too dangerous to have single people controlling entire countries? Doesn't that sound a little scary to you? I mean, a person like that can start a war as easily as I can enter this text.

[mttrunatv]

For those of you that think the president should be facing charges or as some said face the death penalty if you don't like the way things work here or are going to complain about whats been done no matter what nobody is forcing you to stay here, if you think it's better somewhere else then please go we have enough people here as it is expecially with the 12 million who are here illegally and using up the services that should be going to people that belong here. If you think things are so bad here then go elsewhere and see what happens when you speak up to criticize the president of the country, just make sure your relatives know where you go so they can claim your body after your done shooting your mouth off.

[radiob-2009]

Salih al-Mutlaq and Al Malki will be fighting in the streets along with their respective groups the sunnis and shiites,the blood will spill over and Iraq will tip to total chaos.These two individuals already along with Sadr have more blood on their hands than Saddam.Now we will be in the middle of a full fledged civil war maybe before our own elections.Sadr city was not clamped down nor Tikrit Saddam home town.The rockets have already been fired.It is just the begining.A war that should never occurred and a trial that will only make Iraq imposible to control.The timing of the trial is at Iraq's worst after a month long of secterain killing.Just wait the worse for our soldiers and Iraqi's is yet to come.

[mttrunatv]

If you don't like the policies here then nobody is holding you here against your will you can leave anytime you want. See how long you would last in a country where someone like Hussein is in control and you spoke against him. The guy is a maniac that attacked his own people and killed over one hundred, over here we call that a serial killer. What do you people think he is for slaughtering his own people a hero of some kind. He got the decision he deserved hopefully it won't take 20 some years before the put him to death, and better yet put him to death the exact same way he killed those people by using the same kind of gas that he used. Anyone that takes anothers life except in times of war deserves no mercy and should pay for their crime in the same way that they took their victims life.

[djwoods3]

I had a dream last night that Americans called Iraq and said to the judge, "hey, before chaos breaks out in Iraq... we'd better kill Sadam or they'll break him out of jail and he'll regain power." Then, I woke up and turned on my computer to do some work... and I went to see the news... and the headline read: SADDAM TO HANG . I guess chaos is right around the corner.

[brackattack]

2 words FINALY & GREAT

[bluestardad]

HIGH NOON FOR THE OLD FRIEND OF THE BUSH.

[radiob-2009]

Who said Saddam was a hero or an angel.He is neiher but that does not have anything to do with what will ocur in Iraq.The bloodshed will mount and the country will break into a full fledged civil war.The needle will tip towards chaos soon and all hope of stabilaztion will be lost.Anyone that has followed Iraq since we invaded knows that the Iraqi goverment is full of people that have ties to the militias,insurgents and terrorist.The Iraqi military and police also have the same ties.Watch the bloodshed unfold.This trial should have been held by an international court not a Iraqi court to prevent the oncoming disaster.

[icypoe]

Sadly, I haven't followed the trial very closely... but from what I've heard it was a kangarooish court. Can someone post an informed opinion on this? If it were, do you think sectarian tensions now would be a little lessened, or even worsened (the Shiites might be insulted at the thought Saddam got better than what they think he should have got?)

[saraplacid]

Who has paid for Saddam's die jobs? We, as taxpayers?

[antiamerica-2009]

bush needs to hang. america has been trying to get the new world oder started as long as the bushes been in high office. they want to start a holy war between the two countries......i mean they are happy they started this holy war. the bushes are the head of the snake that is eating up the so much that soon this snake will grip the world . the bushes are the killers. our goverment is the killers.these are elected dictators that are full of hate .pls ppl understand bush is a dictator he elected himself not the ppl. and his reign is the cause of the multitudes of ppl dying in a place that they need not to be. it's not just oil that was the old saying the whole main topic on America and their allies agenda is world oder.And the ones that are hanging Saddam is men that americas goverment appointed. trust me deals are being made as i type now. they want us *** slaves. power that is all it is power and these kings must have their time U.N

[icypoe]

Cont'd from prev post, sorry -

...worsened if the court were actually more just?

I'm not so much worried about Hussein hanging or not hanging; he's only one person... it's the symbolism that matters, and in my opinion there's greater symbolism in a due process than his life or death...

[wolf563]

jerryomara are you threatening to harm the president of the united states ?

[radiob-2009]

antiamerica you are a certifed loon by your own words.I do not like Bush and I am an independent but you have no facts to back up your hyperbole.

[radiob-2009]

Should we turn jerryomara into the FBI ? This is not hearsay this is print watch your words no matter how you feel about Bush.

[radiob-2009]

jerryomara and antiamerica I am still waiting for your replys.Did not think you would honestly have one.

[saraplacid]

Does anyone have an answer to the question I previously posed? The fact that he has a die job is sheer lunacy... being sure he's looking his best for his trial and hanging. Did we pay for that?

[radiob-2009]

I think you mean dye jobs which yes we probaly paid for.If you are not talking about the color of his hair I do not know what you are talking about.

[wrhirsch]

with the united states being in iraq and the problem in the country . i can see why saddam ran the country that way . it sad for me to say that but i believe now .

[saraplacid]

A die job which we paid for is indicative of the absurdity of this WHOLE thing.

[radiob-2009]

The fleas have left this post becuase they had no intellectual comments either blind allegiance to a party or anarchist that can not comment about what is about to occur, a full fledged civil war and then chaos.Iraq is now tilting towards unsavagable.I am not defending Saddam just looking forward,the sunnis will corroborate more with the terrorist and the shiites will have a false victory followed by more death.Only Talabani the president can do anything and that would be to enforce martial law before civil war occurs.

[torti151]

What should George Bush receive as punishment for 3,000 dead soldiers, 20,000 plus permanently injuried soldiers and well over 500,000 dead Iraq civilians? All these people victims of President Bush.

Tom,
St.Louis, MO.

[jumkey]

I wonder if Karl Rove can arrange for the execution to occur before Tuesday.

[jumkey]

radiob:

Is this what you see from this verdict? An escalated civil way? I thought Saddam was discredited without power - so this verdict and sentence is nothing more than window dressing and electioneering by Bush.

Is this not correct?

[cacee13601]

i agree with tom ... does the president get to hang right beside sadaam for this?? i dont want to get into any more detail for fear that the FBI will be at my door thinking i want to kill the president

[radiob-2009]

jumkey yes that is what I see from this verdict more civil war that will deepen and further divide Iraq.The sunnis and some of their elected leaders Salih al-Mutlaq will call for more attacks.The shiites will feel emboldened and more militias will with the aid of Al Malki and Sadr will have more sectrain killings.The insurgents and Al Queda will join forces.Look out now.This should have been held in an international court with international laws by not doing so the flames of sectarian violence will only deepen.Saddam without power read his words and remember the last time he spoke them was in September before the deadly month of October.This will not offset all the other news coming out against Bush and depending who how quickly the Sunnis and terrorist start working together may be more of a tumbling block for Bush trying to get republicans reelected.I am an independent so everyone knows and I fail to see that a change in congress will get us out of Iraq.That does not mean I will not vote or that I will cast a vote for the republicans or democrats.

[raebear-2009]

There's no doubt Saddam is guilty. The question is, WHY does he hang for war crimes and Bush walk? What about the 3,000 who were killed in 9/11? What about the 3,000 (official figure - the real on is much higher) dead U. S. soldiers and the thousands upon thousands upon thousands of killed and maimed innocent Iraqi men, women and children? Tom's right to be afraid the FBI will be at his door. While the American people were foolishly waving the flag and had their head in the sand, the Bush cartel was moving behind the scenes in stealth mode. Wake up America! We now live in a Gestapo State.

[raebear-2009]

There's no doubt Saddam is guilty. The question is, WHY does he hang for war crimes and Bush walk? What about the 3,000 who were killed in 9/11? What about the 3,000 (official figure - the real on is much higher) dead U. S. soldiers and the thousands upon thousands upon thousands of killed and maimed innocent Iraqi men, women and children? Tom's right to be afraid the FBI will be at his door. While the American people were foolishly waving the flag and had their head in the sand, the Bush cartel was moving behind the scenes in stealth mode. Wake up America! We now live in a Gestapo State.

[lochlan-2009]

There is an automatic appeal, and after election time and all the blowing smoke up our --- clears, they'll throw him in a box somewhere to be forgotten until we need him for some other political game.

[nadom-2009]

Now lets go after the so called president of Iran

[CBSTV]

Killing Hussein and his associates might well cause greater harm than good -- just as the Iraq War has done more harm than good.

Interestingly, the misdeeds that Hussein was charged with appear to be shared by the leader of the United States.

1) Willful killing: George Bush presided over dozens of executions while Governor of Texas. As President, he presided over the slaughter of thousands of Iraqis. Obviously, he cares not about the sanctity of human life.

2) Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty: Secret prisons, Guantanamo Bay, suspects not allowed lawyers

3) Torture: Abu Ghraid, Guantanamo Bay

4) Enforced disappearance of persons: The CIA "rendition program" that whisks away people to secret prisons for interrogation and detainment

5) Serious injury to the body: The thousands of people maimed during the attack on Iraq

[doctorgraz]

YOU BOZOS ALL HAVE DIARRHEA OF THE MOUTH !!!! HOW CAN YOU EQUATE THE MISTAKES OUR PRESIDENT HAS MADE(He is human you know )to the deliberate crimes of the likes of Hitler, Stalin, and of course, Saddam.
WHAT WAS CLINTON DOING WHEN OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS ON THE LOOSE.(Too busy in the Oval Office with you know who) BUSH MAY NOT BE BRIGHT AND THEREFORE CANNOT FERRET OUT THE TRUTH FROM HIS ADVISORS BUT HE DOES TRY AND IS AN HONEST MAN.

[bossmare2]

The hanging of Saddam Hussein and his cohorts should be immediately.....It should never have taken so long to get to this point. I am so very sad for the innocent civilians of Iraq who will no doubt feel the brunt of the violence, even more than they already have.

[skash-2009]

So now that we have solved that problem, okay of course we have not. But, we will all feel so much better about wasting a trillion dollars, the lives of 2800+ of our troops, the lives of a half million Iraqis, if we convince ourselves, that it was the right thing to do to catch and kill Saddam. Now, let's move on to some bigger issues here on the home front. Like say for example, ignorance. Just when did Americans become so ignorant as to elect leaders, and I use that term loosely, such as Bush and his bandits? The question of what's wrong with the rest of the world, pales in comparison to the bigger question. What in the Hell is wrong with us???

[jn122736]

I am not against the death penalty and I believe Saddam deserves to be tried for crimes against his people, even war crimes, but this %u201Ctrial%u201D if you can call it that is anything but fair and it is just the latest example of embarrassment to American prestige. The timing of this verdict, indeed the trial itself is proof-positive this administration will stoop to the lowest depths to retain its control. And remember, when our president is in the gutter he takes you and I with him.

[jn122736]

It%u2019s my opinion that this administration is literally destroying everything this country has proudly stood for, for over 200 years, ==
When Bush was elected in 2000, or more accurately, appointed by the Supreme Court, and preceded with the Iraq fiasco, the world, for the most part, gave the American people due respect and placed most the blame on the administration. After the American people having condoned/supported him by re-electing him in 2004 the world now holds a very different view. ==
They are right. I voted against Bush both times, and the first time had nothing to do with Iraq, but against the continued borrow-and-spend policies started back in the Reagan administration. However, even though I voted against Bush in 2004 I am still responsible for our situation as is everyone who considers himself or herself American because America, through the voting process, accepts Bush%u2019s actions and we are in fact all Americans.==
If we continue to elect the same congress that has, and continues, to approve the administrations decisions we are not just responsible but indeed complicit in their acts.

Thank you, CBS, for giving us this venue to express our selves.

[gopman3]

How quickly we as Americans are to forget History. This isnt the first war we didnt want to get involved in but did. The best example is WWII. We got attacked on our soil by japan who killed over 2000 of our own soldiers. WWII was costly as far as money and lives lost but in the long run was beneficial. Japan was once an enemy of ours but is now an ally.

Time will tell a very differently story of the Bush administration and the affect we have had on the country of Iraq. Iraq has already had huge changes.

Since the war
98% of children vaccionated against polio
30,000 business have opened
4500 school rebuit with over 8 million textbooks
No cell phones under Saddam now 5 million people
25% of Parliment is female highest in any Arab country
freedom of speech - 150 newspapers and radio programs

Can we really put a time frame on how long it should take to unify a country of 25 million after Saddam had control over them for 30 years.

[j-whitman]

Good He's guilty,, Justice for Iraq,,, ACCOUNTABILITY,,, FINALLY... NOW LET'S HOLD BUSH ACCOUNTABLE

[gopman3]

The role of the government is to protect the US and its people. Who was it that attacked the WTC in 1993, The US Embassys, the USS Cole, and the WTC in 2001. We didnt do anything about it way back when it started and we had attacks until Bush decided to do somthing about it that Clinton should have. Since fighting the "War" on terrorism we have yet to be attacked on our own soil.

[elgodsell]

Who in the hell cares - The people of Iraq tried its on their hands and not ours. And as far as Bush - He is justified in what he has done. The people of the US need to be protected. The blood of the American people is not on the hands of Bush. And your right lets go after Iran and allof the others

[j-whitman]

Gopman3 --- We haven't been attacked since the last attack on HIS WATCH,,,, By the way, CO of the Cole,, is still being investagated.

[bob_burd]

To blame the violence on America is retarded. Arabs love to kill and seek revenge, and their violent legacy is well known. Many are of low intelligence due to lack of education, poverty, tyranny, and from following a religion that belongs in the Dark Ages. Conveniently twisting their already-twisted spiritual beliefs to justify violence against innocent people around the globe, they pursue violent solutions to age-old problems instead of trying to deal peacefully with issues that face them.

What can you say about the intelligence of a people who follow and worship leaders like al-Sadr, Bin Laden and their ilk. Further more, the entire Islamic community worldwide does little to condemn their violent fundamentalist brethren, and the world is tired of hearing them hem and haw as they pay lip service to the atrocities of their terrorist brothers, while covertly seeking funds worldwide to continue the "Jihad" against the "infidels" of the world, which include anyone with a good life in the Western world. They are jealous of our lifestyles, opportunities and freedom, and their iron-fisted tyrants have brainwashed them to believe we westerners are the root of all of their failures and problems.

Look what Allah has done for them.

Selah

[monceau1]

Gopman3 -

Those are pretty cute little figures you have there. From the looks of it, you probably got them of the GOP website or the Rush Limbaugh show. I really like how one-sided they are.

Cell phones? Are you joking? Woo-hoo, the Iraqis can now plan suicide bombings in real time!! You forgot to mention that tens of thousands have died in only 3 years...how convenient for you and your political party...you forgot to tack on "Stay the Course !" at the end of your post.

[kevboom]

Good riddance to Saddam, but I am left to wonder if the Iraqi people weren't better off under a strong-armed dictatorship. Compared to the hundreds dying daily on the lawless streets now, Saddam's interrogations and murders seem like minor inconveniences. Did the U.S. ever stop to consider that fundamentalist people may be best governed by the only thing they know--force? Can fundamentalists handle freedom? There's plenty in America who struggle with freedom, trying to force their wacked beliefs on others. God forbid Pat Robertson and his 700 Club freaks ever wrestle power. I have no idea why Sunni and Shiite factions are so hard-pressed to kill each other, since they seemingly worship the same God, but obviously Bush and company don't either and didn't put any thought into the post-Saddam aftermath. Let's just hope the next time a Republican president decides to save the world and turn out a "dictator" they hire a few consultants first to educate them on religious and cultural flashpoints. Forethought is not exactly a Republican virtue. You have to feel sorry for the people over there and our troops in the middle who are now paying the price for a total lack of American leadership. I for one don't know how Captain Save the World sleeps at night.