Anyone been following Saddam's trial? Talk about a ZOO!?! Reading accounts of it makes you want to laugh... and cry. Today Saddam is boycotting his own trial... yesterday he told the judge to "go to Hell!".

Yeah, yesterday he was complaining about not having clean underwear so he boycotted today.

What a joke.

Just string him up, let the people stone him and be done with it :)

Lots of time for a trial later :p

Evidently his daughter is a piece of work, too. And she seems to hold the purse strings for the legal defense. It sounds like shopping is more important than "daddy dearest" to her.

Can't be worse than the OJ trial :) .

I figure we should simply "restore" him to his "presidency" and let the people of Iraq (especially the various folks he really clamped down on, who now have their own militia) take care of him.

actually the country was better under Saddam. And before you rip me. Oil Production was higher.. more of the money was going to iraqis than it is now, there werent suicide bombs, gun fights, etc.

We caused the trouble there is there today.

Actually. Now that the OIl lines aren't being bombed to hell every day, they're higher then before. Most suicide bombers are stopped, they kill more Iraqi's and alot of the ones that do happen and don't get reported is because the terrorist end up just killing themselves. Oh yeah, and all of the oil exports during Saddam during the boycott's before Oil for Food (Read another Saddam Scandal that denied Innocent Iraqi's of food and support), he was selling the oil illegally to other countries. Really Kyrttos you should read more then just the liberal biased reporting. And they're Liberals that support the war for more then political game. You can find a few books at Barne's & Noble.

One other thing I forgot to add. We're killing them Sons of bitches 20 to 1. So Saddam is better? Don't say we shouldn't have anyone dying. The same terrorist fighting us in Iraq killed over 2000 american civilians as it is. Let them all ****ing die.

Evidently his daughter is a piece of work, too. And she seems to hold the purse strings for the legal defense. It sounds like shopping is more important than "daddy dearest" to her.

Hey, if I had a father like Saddam, I think I'd use my money to go shopping instead too!

Hey, if I had a father like Saddam, I think I'd use my money to go shopping instead too!


Sounds like the foundation for a successful Reality TV show.

Instead of a stupid little rat dog in her purse, she has one of those huge ass Iraqi spiders.

Actually. Now that the OIl lines aren't being bombed to hell every day, they're higher then before. Most suicide bombers are stopped, they kill more Iraqi's and alot of the ones that do happen and don't get reported is because the terrorist end up just killing themselves. Oh yeah, and all of the oil exports during Saddam during the boycott's before Oil for Food (Read another Saddam Scandal that denied Innocent Iraqi's of food and support), he was selling the oil illegally to other countries. Really Kyrttos you should read more then just the liberal biased reporting. And they're Liberals that support the war for more then political game. You can find a few books at Barne's & Noble.

One other thing I forgot to add. We're killing them Sons of bitches 20 to 1. So Saddam is better? Don't say we shouldn't have anyone dying. The same terrorist fighting us in Iraq killed over 2000 american civilians as it is. Let them all ****ing die.

Thats where reality ends and fantasy begins. IT is NOT the same terrorists. The Insurgents in Iraq are mostly disgruntled Iraqis that hate that there is a foreign superpower occupying their country. The suicide blasts, gunfire, etc are all because we are there. Saddam didnt kill 2000 civilians on 9/11. In fact its WIDELY known that Bin Laden hated Saddam because of the way he treated the Kurds.

If Russia decided to occupy the US because they though Bush was an insane murder ( which he is ), would you stand by idlely and let it go on. No, you'd fight for your country, just like the Iraqis are for theirs. "Al-Qaeda of Iraq" barely composes of 5% of the insurgency. The rest are Freedom Fighters for their country. Put the shoe on the other foot, what would you do.

And Oil production is DOWN

Iraq Set to Pump Less Oil Than Last Year
By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Despite President Bush's optimism on Iraq's reconstruction, the country appears set to pump less crude in 2005 than last year's disappointing showing and far less than under Saddam Hussein.

The only bright spot for Iraq's oil sector, hampered by unrelenting insurgent attacks on its infrastructure, is that near-record oil prices have softened the blow by boosting export earnings.

"The general integrity of Iraqi oil infrastructure appears to us to be heading backwards rather than forwards," London-based Barclay's Capital said in a report issued Thursday.

The attacks have made it all but impossible to attract foreign expertise needed to rejuvenate Iraq's rusty oil infrastructure, drill new wells or take any number of steps toward increasing production or exports.

Legal disputes between Iraq's provinces and central government about ownership of oil is also keeping investors away, said Jamal Qureshi, an oil analyst with PFC Energy in Washington.

"Iraq has a lot of potential, but lots of things have to go right," Qureshi said. "We see no sign of that happening."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051208/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_oil

Everyone grossly oversimplifies the problems in Iraq. Its all that plus you've basically got 3 people who really don't like one another and don't want the other group in control of the government. The sunni's hate the shiites. The Sunni police are abusing the shiites, sunni's attacking them blowing up their mosques and people, and the reverse is true. I think there are even factions within those main factions that are at war with one another. The Kurds don't want to be bothered with any of them because they've got most of the oil (I think) and they're relatively peaceful and coherent.

I don't see how Iraq will ever be one country. I think it really should split into about 3 and most likely will once we leave (should we ever leave). If we were smart we'd probably work with them to peacefully split their country into 3 loosely affliated states, but we're not. We'll try to make them all like one another, fail miserably and it'll be civil war. Hell, it already is a civil war.

And Oil production is DOWN


They are rebuilding after a war for cripes sake, what did you expect?


Don't you think that Mercedez Benz and BMW had a bit of a downturn after WW2 while rebuilding?

Hell, it took until the 80s before Americans would buy a car from Nissan(instead of Datsun). Anyone else remember the MGA/Umgaa ads on TV? They were Mitsubishi, they made Zeros.

Production is going to be down because everything was blown up. Whats the big deal?

Meaning its our fault its down *shrug* Bush can claim all the "progress" in iraq he wants, but its going nowhere.

Meaning its our fault its down *shrug* Bush can claim all the "progress" in iraq he wants, but its going nowhere.

I suppose, if you say that it took 30 years for MB, BMW, and Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi to rebound and take over the automotive market.

If you look at this short term, and as a micro manager, it looks bad.

If you look at this in the long term...everything is hunky doory, and right on schedule.

I think only an idiot looks at the Iraq situation, right this minute, and sees a bad thing. We blew the crap out of Germany during WW2. Hell, we dropped 2 nuclear bombs on Japan, and they are both doing fine right now.

I imagine that there were plenty of petty little pissant Kryttoses back in 1946 bitching about how much money the Marshall plan was costing and how much money we were spending rebuilding Europe, and how much time it was taking, and how much electricity or petrol was not there.

Thats where reality ends and fantasy begins. IT is NOT the same terrorists. The Insurgents in Iraq are mostly disgruntled Iraqis that hate that there is a foreign superpower occupying their country. Yeah, the former saddam loyalist and other sunni's. The suicide blasts, gunfire, etc are all because we are there. Then why are most of the suicide bombings non american targets? Saddam didnt kill 2000 civilians on 9/11. No **** sherlock; I never said it was Saddam. I said it was the terrorist, and last I check Al-Qaeda in Iraq IS a terroist orginization with ties to Osama Bin Laden. In fact its WIDELY known that Bin Laden hated Saddam because of the way he treated the Kurds. I guess that's easier then naming a leader (terrorist or not) in the middle east that did like Saddam.


If Russia decided to occupy the US because they though Bush was an insane murder ( which he is ), would you stand by idlely and let it go on. No, you'd fight for your country, just like the Iraqis are for theirs. "Al-Qaeda of Iraq" barely composes of 5% of the insurgency. The rest are Freedom Fighters for their country. Put the shoe on the other foot, what would you do.

Lets see, Bush isn't a murderer but that's my opinion, like yours is that he is. Now if he commited Genocide by killing hundreds of thousands arabs, jews, or catholics than maybe I might fight with the russians to get him out of office. But if it's because they think he's a murder, but no proof, I'd fight them.

And Oil production is DOWN

Production is going to be down because everything was blown up. Whats the big deal?

Yeah he said it perrty well already.

Well, Bush is asking for another $100 BILLION for Iraq for next year, or at least for the first part of next year. I'd personally much rather spend that in this country. Or actually, not spend it at all since chances are we're borrowing it from China. When all is said and done, this war may cost us the better part of trillion dollars.

Last time I have checked, Al-Qaeda have come in Irak after that the U.S. have invaded. Because they where no love between Saddam and Osama Bin Laden.

How saying that Al-Qaeda is in Irak now can be an argument that the U.S. need to invade Irak when the presence of Al-Qaeda in Irak is after that the U.S. have invaded Irak.

Unless they are a time machine working somewhere, it don't make sens.

Eridalafar

Well, Bush is asking for another $100 BILLION for Iraq for next year, or at least for the first part of next year. I'd personally much rather spend that in this country. Or actually, not spend it at all since chances are we're borrowing it from China. When all is said and done, this war may cost us the better part of trillion dollars.

Yeah that is a little of alot to much. I'll agree this war shouldn't cause near as much for the way the troops are getting treated with supplies and such.

Oh Eridalafar; the war was originally based on WMD's. When that backfired, it was Al-Qaeda link, then that backfired. Basically it's just a bull**** war that I support cause I thought it was a good idea at first due to Saddam's history, and all the other bs that's been disprovving. I still think Iraq will be better off in the future without Saddam, so long as we remain there to keep things from getting worse.

Or how about spending $100 billion on R&D for energy independence in the US. Then we don't need to be getting embroiled in crap in the ME.

with the next $100 billion needed for the war we will top half a trillion dollars for the war total.

At a guess I'd say it would take about 10 trillion to rebuild the place properly. That's a guess based on my impression of how much remains to be fixed here. The infrastructure isn't in good condition very far outside of Bagdad ( more due to Saddam's neglect than our bombs). Between roads and fixing the electrical distribution system, it will be a big bill. We'll be paying it even if we get told to pull out after this Parliment is elected.

My question; Can the Iraqi government get enough security estabilished to get their oil production back up to supply them rebuilding money? If they can do that, then they will be able to stabilize themselves. Money allows for rebuilding, rearming, and ferreting out little Ali Baba bastards. Half the reason the pipelines and oil rigs have been such popular targets is the simple rule that 'he who has the money, wins'.

As a random aside, 48 people wounded by celebratory fire in Bagdad on or about the 12th. Thousands of tracer rounds make an impressive sight going up but not so good comming back down.

This trial is like comedy central!
"For days on end, they attempted to torture, torment and otherwise abuse me," an indignant Saddam told the court. "And I was like, dude, is that all you got?"And not to be outdone...
"We don't do torture," Rumsfeld said. "Having said that, when we do torture, we do it in a way that is second to none."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10616746/site/newsweek/

From accounts... I'd say that this is probably pretty true to life even for a satirical editing. :)

Actually. Now that the OIl lines aren't being bombed to hell every day, they're higher then before. Most suicide bombers are stopped, they kill more Iraqi's and alot of the ones that do happen and don't get reported is because the terrorist end up just killing themselves. Oh yeah, and all of the oil exports during Saddam during the boycott's before Oil for Food (Read another Saddam Scandal that denied Innocent Iraqi's of food and support), he was selling the oil illegally to other countries. Really Kyrttos you should read more then just the liberal biased reporting. And they're Liberals that support the war for more then political game. You can find a few books at Barne's & Noble.

One other thing I forgot to add. We're killing them Sons of bitches 20 to 1. So Saddam is better? Don't say we shouldn't have anyone dying. The same terrorist fighting us in Iraq killed over 2000 american civilians as it is. Let them all ****ing die.

Before you dug into Kryttos, you should have read what you just wrote and ask yourself "hmm apart from that first sentence, exactly WHERE am I saying anything that opposes what Krytt said?"

Or how about spending $100 billion on R&D for energy independence in the US. Then we don't need to be getting embroiled in crap in the ME.

$100 Billion will cover subsidizing "energy independence" for the first year but that will not cover all the law suits from building nuke plants. Newtonian mechanics dictates so much energy used for so much work down. Einstein was brilliant but even he did not contradict Newton. Energy has to come from some place and fusion is just not here, yet. As a matter of fact, the critical mass might me be size of the moon and if successful may consume the Earth.

I think there are ways to encourage energy independence like wind turnbines and solar cells. I know the Govenator was pushing for solar cells for everyones house... If that is what you are talking about... then write your comgressman...

Uh... you mean my assemblyman? That was/is a California legistlature dealie.

I'd LOVE to have solar power. Only thing that scares me is what happens to the panels in a good earthquake?

You know though, I heard recently there's not really all that much uranium so nuclear power really doesn't buy us a lot, maybe 10 years or so.

I did a back-of-the-envelope calculation a couple of years ago on the cost/benefits of using solar power as my sole electricity source. Bear in mind, I have an all-electric house.

After estimating the number of panels that I would need, their lifetime, the cost of battery storage, and miscellaneous gear, it turned out to be about a wash with staying on the grid.

I read recently that one of the government agencies (I think it was DoD, but it could have been DoE) is starting an effort to boost solar cell conversion efficienty to 50%. If and when the succeed, I'll have to reconsider.

In Portland Oregon, you can sell power back into the grid. Quite a few families are set up this way: solar panels/wind generators (we don't get much sun in the winter) - when this is not enough to power the house, they draw on the grid, when they have very sunny days and not much power need, they feed power back into the grid and their electricity meter literally runs backwards.

That being said, it's pretty pricey for the setup and as Vestix said, it's probably a wash in the long run.

If CA enacts the 1 million solar powered homes initiative it should bring down the cost of solar panels dramatically.

I think I heard you had the option of either selling back the energy or storing it in a battery. I think I'd go the battery option so my house would have energy if there were a major power outtage.

911 smoking guns (http://www.infowars.com/articles/sept11/150_911_smoking_guns_found_in_media.htm)

Nere's an interesting article...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10667278/


"It is easy for the Americans to say, 'We are doing reconstruction in Iraq,' and we hear that. But to make us believe it, they should show us where this reconstruction is," said Mustafa Sidqi Murthada, owner of a men's clothing store in Baghdad. "Maybe they are doing this reconstruction for them in the Green Zone. But this is not for the Iraqis."

"Believe me, they are not doing this," he said, "unless they consider rebuilding of their military bases reconstruction."

U.S. officials say comparatively minor sabotage to distribution systems is keeping Iraqis from seeing the gains from scores of projects to increase electricity generation and oil production. To showcase a rebuilt school or government building, meanwhile, is to invite insurgents to bomb it.
I had to laugh at this part. We're "reconstructing" but keeping the locations a secret from the Iraqis. Is it possible that anyone revealing the location of a restored building will be accused of leaking government *sekrets* by the Bush administration?

911 smoking guns (http://www.infowars.com/articles/sept11/150_911_smoking_guns_found_in_media.htm)


That site is funny because it suggests you can keep a secret with thousands of people involved.