Saddam to Declare Candidacy for Iraqi Elections

[Czar]

http://www.zaman.org/?bl=inter...=20040921&hn=12424

Overthrown Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who was arrested by US forces last December, reportedly plans to run as a candidate in the Iraqi elections scheduled for January 2005.

Saddam's lawyer Giovanni di Stefano told Denmark's B.T. newspaper that Saddam decided during one of their discussions that he would declare his candidacy for the elections.

Stefano said that there was no law that prevented Saddam from appearing on the ballot. He added that Saddam hopes to regain his presidency and palaces via the democratic process.

Contrary to the statements of Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Stefano claims, "Saddam has no chance to be tried before the elections. Moreover, no international law prevents him from coming forward."

Saddam's lawyer defends that the ambiguity in Iraq will favor Saddam at the polls. Stefano remarked that a recent Gallup poll indicates that 42 percent of the Iraqi people want their former leader back.

Meanwhile, evaluating the conditions of Saddam in jail, Allawi said that Saddam had asked him for mercy.

 

[Shelly21]

Meh, if people do elect him, that would be a slap in the face for a lot of people.

How do they conduct the poll anyway? stringed stryofoam cups?

 

[conjur]

I wonder how many write-ins he'll get anyway? Might be a good way to judge the size of the insurgency.

Maybe we can arrest anyone that votes for Saddam and throw them in Gitmo?

 

[maddogchen]

Originally posted by: conjur
I wonder how many write-ins he'll get anyway? Might be a good way to judge the size of the insurgency.

Maybe we can arrest anyone that votes for Saddam and throw them in Gitmo?

heheh I don't think Saddam's supporters would be going to the polls. They'd be too busy running their insurgency, alongside the other insurgents.

 

[Red Dawn]

Wow! Man it would suck for us even if he lost but got a large number of votes!

 

[EagleKeeper]

People will vote for him based on the fact that they may feel they are worse off now (power/prestige/economics/security) than when he was in power.

And this is the case. Ignoring the fact that it is the insurgents that are preventing the country from moving forward on the economic and security front.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Czar
Stefano said that there was no law that prevented Saddam from appearing on the ballot. He added that Saddam hopes to regain his presidency and palaces via the democratic process.

Would be the ultimate kick in the Fearless Liar's teeth should Saddam win the Popular vote in Iraq. Of course the Fearless Liar will pull the same sort of USSC tactics over there that he would never allow the deposed Dictator take the Country back over even as an Elected Official.

 

[Genx87]

I am glad you are worried about kicking in the teeth of the fearless liar. But I would be a little bit more worried what Saddam would do if elected to anybody and everybody within the country.

But keep up your single track mind of hating bush. It has served you so well in the past.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Czar
Stefano said that there was no law that prevented Saddam from appearing on the ballot. He added that Saddam hopes to regain his presidency and palaces via the democratic process.

Would be the ultimate kick in the Fearless Liar's teeth should Saddam win the Popular vote in Iraq. Of course the Fearless Liar will pull the same sort of USSC tactics over there that he would never allow the deposed Dictator take the Country back over even as an Elected Official.

:roll: No sane iddividual or occupying authority would allow him to take office Dave, Jeez!

 

[Perknose]

There is no way he'll be allowed to run, I'd bet on it. But if that Gallup poll showing that 42% of Iraqis want him back is even close to being accurate, the size of any protest vote for him would be a huge slap in the face to our "liberation".

Can't you just see it? Sadaam is somehow allowed to run, wins, and then pardons himself out of jail. He then dons a jumpsuit and careens around Baghdad screaming, "Mission Accomplished".

On a more sober note, that he still commands any support beyond his Tikriti tribe given all that did to the Iraqi people says volumes about how welcome we are in that country -- and I predict it's only going to get worse. :|

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I'd like to know what poll Saddam's lawyer is talking about. The most recent gallup poll that I could find shows no such thing. In fact, it shows quite the opposite and demonstrates that the overwhelming majority of Iraqis are glad to see him gone and 80% of them still view Saddam unfavorably (and that counts the 10% who had no opinion either way).

 

[arsbanned]

I think he should be elected. It'd be a good lesson for future idiots who want to attack a country on phony grounds.

 

[daveshel]

Stefano said that there was no law that prevented Saddam from appearing on the ballot.

Not yet, anyway.

 

[joshw10]

There's only going to be one guy on the ballot and his name is Allawi

 

[RSaylors]

Would be the ultimate kick in the Fearless Liar's teeth should Saddam win the Popular vote in Iraq. Of course the Fearless Liar will pull the same sort of USSC tactics over there that he would never allow the deposed Dictator take the Country back over even as an Elected Official.

don't you think that your loyalty to this nation deserves a little more respect for our leader?

Maybe we can arrest anyone that votes for Saddam and throw them in Gitmo?

have you considered that, maybe, your sarcasm should be taken seriously?

I'd like to know what poll Saddam's lawyer is talking about

some people say that it's based on PROoMA, "Pulled Right Out of My Ass", figures he collected while listening to sadam declare himself 'the people of iraq'.

I think he should be elected. It'd be a good lesson for future idiots who want to attack a country on phony grounds.

again, don't you belive that loyalty to your country, or at least humanitarianism, should over take your partisan brain washing here?

 

[joshw10]

Originally posted by: RSaylors

Would be the ultimate kick in the Fearless Liar's teeth should Saddam win the Popular vote in Iraq. Of course the Fearless Liar will pull the same sort of USSC tactics over there that he would never allow the deposed Dictator take the Country back over even as an Elected Official.

don't you think that your loyalty to this nation deserves a little more respect for our leader?

Maybe we can arrest anyone that votes for Saddam and throw them in Gitmo?

have you considered that, maybe, your sarcasm should be taken seriously?

I'd like to know what poll Saddam's lawyer is talking about

some people say that it's based on PROoMA, "Pulled Right Out of My Ass", figures he collected while listening to sadam declare himself 'the people of iraq'.

I think he should be elected. It'd be a good lesson for future idiots who want to attack a country on phony grounds.

again, don't you belive that loyalty to your country, or at least humanitarianism, should over take your partisan brain washing here?

Your signature shows you have been victim to some brainwashing yourself

 

[RSaylors]

Originally posted by: joshw10

Your signature shows you have been victim to some brainwashing yourself

Isn't the great thing about being human that we get to choose by what we are 'brain washed'? I'm 'brain washed' by the ideas of love, loyalty, and equality.

yourself?

 

[Kibbo]

Originally posted by: conjur
I wonder how many write-ins he'll get anyway? Might be a good way to judge the size of the insurgency.

Maybe we can arrest anyone that votes for Saddam and throw them in Gitmo?

Not all, or even most, of the insurgents are Baathists. According to an Admiral that spoke at my school last year, there are at least four distint groups fighting in Iraq:

Baathists.
Shi'ites who want an Iran-type religious order.
Iraqi nationalists who didn't like Saddam, but want the US out.
Radical Islamists (mostly foreign) who like to take pot-shots at the decadent Americans.