U.S. Commander Prefers to See Saddam Dead

[Barrett808]

MOSUL, Iraq - The U.S. commander who led the raid on the hide-out of Saddam Hussein's sons two months ago says the former Iraqi dictator would be given a chance to surrender if found - but added that he personally would rather see him dead.

"The choice will be his," Col. Joe Anderson, commander of the 101st Airborne's 2nd Brigade in Mosul, told The Associated Press.

Anderson said American forces won't hold their fire "if he's got the 14 or so bodyguards he supposedly has and they shoot soldiers."

"He'll always be given the opportunity to surrender," said Anderson, adding, however, "personally, I think the world is better off if he's dead."

Human rights groups and many Iraqis have said they would want Saddam Hussein put on trial for crimes against humanity, including the killing of 4 million people during the Baath Party's 34 years in power. Saddam's forces used chemical weapons to kill 5,000 Kurdish people alone.

But Anderson doesn't see any need for such a trial.

(more)

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/nation/6762590.htm

[prolesunited]

1. Why of course

dead man tell no tales.

Since when did it become appropriate to publicly call for the assassination of world leaders — no matter how repugnant they are? What happened to rule of law and justice?

[snippy]

12. Have you forgotten the White House appeal for a "single bullet"

made by Comrade Squealer on October 1, 2002 as a way to remove Saddam and save money?

Q Ari, the CBO has new estimates that the war in Iraq would cost between $9 billion and $13 billion. Does the White House think that's too low?

MR. FLEISCHER: Again, the President has not made any decisions about military action or what military option he might pursue. And so I think it's impossible to speculate. I can only say that the cost of a one-way ticket is substantially less than that. The cost of one bullet, if the Iraqi people take it on themselves, is substantially less than that. The cost of war is more than that. But there are many options that the President hopes the world and people of Iraq will exercise themselves of that gets rid of the threat. But it's impossible to say what the President options are militarily from a price tag, because he's made no decisions.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021001-4.html#3

[Paschall]

13. "publicly call for the assassination of world leaders"

Yes, interesting the US command is letting statements like this into the press at just the moment Israeli Likudniks are calling for Arafat's death.

[KoKo]

2. New American policy: Kill rather than bring to trial. Much cheaper and

easier to do.

Or, is it that bringing Saddam to trial before his own people would let to many of our dirty little secrets out about how we funded him and gave him most of what we invaded his country for.

Yes.....much easier to KILL, KILL, KILL.

[arcane1]

4. I can't wait until they bring this policy home in '04

it's the only way they're gonna shut ME up!!

:grr:

[saigon68]

3. SADAM PROBABLY WANTS COL. JOE ANDERSON DEAD TOO!!!

Col. Joe Anderson is probably also going to have some explaining to St. Peter for his remarks.

I just love the swaggering bravado from amerika's trained killers.

This is not anything more than the ravings of a Blowhard.

Real professionals, I knew hated killing, but did their jobs quietly, with out fanfare, this guy is a real piece of work.

[FlemingsGhost]

8. Agreed. This is purely for domestic consumption.

Col. Anderson isn't a soldier. He is a salesman.

[MasonJar]

5. The army and the sons

If I were that commander, I would not admit publicly that I was in charge of the massacre involving the sons. That was uncalled for, and displaying their bodies was criminal. What a future Bush is setting up for Americans abroad.

[pfitz59]

6. "Dead men tell no tales..........."

From one pirate to another..... The looting of Iraq is a form of piracy. Halliburton and Bechtel are privateers with letters of marquee. The world is regressing to the 16th century!

[lumpy]

7. Joe Anderson, judge, jury and God,

should have kept his private thoughts to himself.

[onehandle]

9. So does Cheney, Rummy, and Poppy Bush. nt

nt

[oneighty]

10. The death of Saddam

will make no difference now. The son's death did not. The father's death will not.

Others are there, waiting.

180

[are_we_united_yet]

11. I agree

But tell that to flag waving "United We Stand" morans (freep sp). They probably think killing Saddam will end terrorism.

It will discourage those "pockets of resistance".

Perhaps they should start seeking pockets of acceptance.

[Emillereid]

14. How far we've slid down a moral hell hole

since WWII and Nuremberg when we took such care than even the worst Nazis be given due process, fair trials and otherwise afforded them all basic legal and human rights. Now we sound more like Mob bosses. Just the way Bush uses the word justice makes me cringe -- for him justice is synonymous with 'punishment' as in we'll bring them to justice, whereas I think of justice as the embodiment of basic rights and fairness.