Poll: Should UN and "Old Europe" Demand Saddam's Return to Power

[cspiguy]

As a condition of economic and military assistance? Obviously, if the U.S. had followed the lead of France, Germany, and Russia this spring, Saddam would still be comfortably in control as the leader of Iraq. He kept the country stable and would have been able to get the petroeconomy going to help his people if we had not interfered.

So it is not glib to ask - Should Saddam be returned to power. One might also ask if Slobodan Milosovich should be returned to power if he is vindicated by the trials in the Hague which are stalled in legal quagmires at present. Would a UN-blessed Baath party government put the genie back into the bottle and leave the middle east more stable while attention could be properly turned to the plight of the palestinians?

[DarkPhenyx]

1. Absolutely not!

Not even in a bad year should they request that, adn if they do we should not allow it. Despite how he was removed from power, he was not an individual who should have been a leader of men. We are much better w/o him in power, but there were better ways to go about it. The problems we are having in Iraq now are not because Saddam is no longer in power. They exist because we fucked up the post war operations.

[ugarte]

2. Absurd

I've never heard anyone advocating this, although I think we should get the hell out of Iraq and let them have whomever they want.

[cspiguy]

9. which would be Saddam - since everyone is still scared of him

and his party. If he were shown to be dead, the killings would trickle and stop.

[Kellanved]

11. That's assuming that Saddam loyalists are the only source of violence

If it's a hidden Civil War and/ or a power struggle for the Shiite Leadership-role Saddam's end would mean nothing.
And even declared enemies of Saddam aren't too fond of foreigners in their country - more soldiers wouldn't automatically mean more peace.

In any case: "Old Europe" is not demanding a pull-out, but elections and transfer of power ASAP; with ongoing reconstruction aid.

[cspiguy]

15. "but elections and transfer of power ASAP"

Which would undoubtably return Baath elements to power, if held anytime soon before Saddam is captured.

If Saddam escapes the country and asks for UN protection - SHOULD HE NOT HAVE IT? He did not violate UN resolutions on WMD as is now clear - the UN would HAVE TO take him under protection as a government in exile until his restoration.

[Kellanved]

16. FYI: the Sunni(baathists) are a minority in Iraq

The Shiites would have more weight in elections, raising the possibility of a second Iran.

Saddam is beyond any doubt a war-criminal - asking the UN would mean a nice cell in the Hague.

This has been discussed here so often - in GD to be exact, that I hardly see any angle not already covered.

[papau]

3. Not obvious - Intrusive inspection alternative to war would end Saddam

As he would in effect have given up control - and be seen as weak - and then killed.

This is just a GOP spin - that as usual forgets the history of how we got into this war.

[wryter2000]

4. Good grief

No! Who would want that murderous bastard back?

[redeye]

5. No

At the time it seemed reasonable to keep him in place because of the bloodshed that would result from toppling him militarily. However, given that the bloodshed has happened, plus a lot of anti-Saddam feelings have surfaced thus resulting in another mass murder if Saddam returns, this shouldn't happen.

[ps1074]

6. you broke it - you buy it

UN and 'Old Europe' were warning about this whole mess. Bush never listened. I thought US didn't need this stinky UN... One has to watch his mouth and the US president should know better.

Now UN need to set a humiliating conditions to US like:

1.UN will provide half of the troops and they will not be under US command.
2.US and the coalition of the willing will provide the funds for Iraq reconstruction.
3.All oil contracts prior to the war should be respected.


How's that for a plan?

[Kamika]

7. just why should they?

That would be pretty weird to demand him back.

They should however demand more influence of the rebuilding

[MissMillie]

8. Um.... NO!

Besides, I don't think they want him in power any more than we do.

It's not as though he were in power by virtue of fair and honest elections.

[cspiguy]

10. but the countries involved worked HARD to keep him there.

Maybe it was an all out effort to stop Bush's plans over everything else, but to an outside observer it looked like the UN Kofi and company really wanted to protect Saddam's government's legitimacy.

[FlashHarry]

12. Hah!

There's a big difference between not condoning invading a country, however tyrannical, and actually condoning the government. (See Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, N. Korea, Myanmar, etc. for reference)

Typical manichaean RW bullsh*t. Black/White. Right/Wrong. Absolutely no middle-ground.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. Well that is certainly the rightwing view of the UN.

I believe those countries worked hard to uphold international law and the power of the UN to enforce it and the power of the UN to conduct inspections...now about those WMD's...any idea where they are?

[FlashHarry]

13. Why do I get the feeling this guy is a 'master baiter?'

Hmm...

[Booberdawg]

14. Good God that is absurd

:eyes:

[BonjourUSA]

17. "Old Europe" : old but not senile

[greenwow]

18. Considering the people were better-off before...

bringing back their elected president is looking like a better and better option.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. He Wasn't Elected In A "Fair" or "Democratic" Election

It was a Yes or No vote and 99.9% voted Yes...

[greenwow]

27. But unlike Bush

he actually did win the election. He's a more legitimate ruler than our own emperor.

I'm still shocked to see all of the pro-Bush posts in this thread. This looks more like freeper-central than DU.

[tom_paine]

21. No of course not

Restoring Saddam back to power?

No. Ludicrous question.

But very Fair and Balanced.

[fla nocount]

22. Yes, Yes, Yes. WTF! I thought this was a poll and I got to vote.

Where's the the bar chart and the little vote rectangle? This is an issue that should have been put to sleep until the adults came to wake us up. The little demons that live under my bed and live to grab my legs and pull me under with them should I get up in the dark to go pee-pee are in charge. Please Saddam, turn back the clock and save us all. Pinch me and I'll wake up........Demon Whistle-ass and his evil uncles were just a dream.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[nothingshocksmeanymore]

24. Thanks, ALex, I'll take "what Richard Perle would say" for 100

[chadm]

25. I would support returning Saddam to power

yes.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

26. Might As Well Return Adolf Hitler Too

maybe we can channel him

-:)

[friendofbenn]

28. haha

this "return saddam" brigade are obviously freepers. is it just me?