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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (19942)	12/14/2003 10:52:56 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793739

Spiderhole Fraysters spin the web on the capture. Compiled by Kevin Arnovitz Updated Sunday, Dec. 14, 2003, at 5:38 PM PT How important is the capture of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein? How pervasive is the story in the news cycle? To wit, when's the last time Chris Berman and Tom Jackson led of NFL Primetime's broadcast with an extrapigskinnial missive, as they did Sunday afternoon with their hearty congratulations to the troops of the 4th Infantry Division? In War Stories Fray, readers contemplate some of the inchoates issues. Zathras addresses the juridical question, "namely arranging a trial of some kind for Saddam Hussein in Iraq prior to disposing of him." Z's prescription? The trial will have to have some claim to fairness, yet be brief and allow those Iraqis brutalized by this man over the last three decades some sense that their suffering and has been avenged. Already we have seen commentary about a procedure dragging out over months or years (in an effort not only to be fair but to be thorough about making Saddam face up to all his crimes) and even the monumentally unwise idea of following a trial in Iraq with a Milosevic-style international tribunal at The Hague. Zathras writes, "…the aspects of the American commitment in Iraq most likely to be handled badly are those we have not had occasion to handle before" — so while "Saddam's capture represents an opportunity," it also presents a hefty challenge for an Administration that isn't tackling the unprecedented with great aplomb. Speaking of opportunity, Arlington suggests here that: This would be a nice time to kiss and make up with out European allies. In the celebration of Saddam's capture, our president could get all generous and open the contracts to everyone, invite the UN to help shape the government, and so on. He could get beneficent without looking weak, now that his reelection looks assured. That's a safe bet, according to Adam_Masin, if the Democrats proceed with the anointment of Howard Dean. AM here in Ballot Box Fray: Hussein's capture will only strengthen voices within the Democratic Party that Dean cannot beat Bush. If Dean has any chance to beat Bush - assuming he manages to win the nomination - he must reintroduce himself to Americans on a major domestic issue. He has to be known as "the health care guy" or the "education guy" or some such thing. Otherwise, as Lieberman noted today, he will be known as the guy who would rather have had Hussein in power than in prison. Without more, that guy won't be President in 2004. Speaking of Lieberman, TT notes that the candidate's logic is anything but Talmudic when he commented today that "Saddam should be put to death because in addition to all of the people he killed in his wars and persecutions, he is responsible for the deaths of the 462 American soldiers who have died in Iraq since we invaded." TT gets Socratic with his Spiderhole Pop Quiz. Among the most important benefits to Saddam's capture? Thrasymachus says that while seizing Saddam "is a significant victory … the practical benefits of capturing him are being undersold." Among them: …he can now be interrogated. That will yield a final chance to uncover any hidden WMD programs or ties to al-Qaida within his regime. In addition, all those specialists who were busy looking for Saddam Hussein can now be sent after somebody else, like (a random suggestion) Osama Bin Laden. slate.msn.com