Friday February 17, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Baghdad blasts strike popular hotels, killing 37; 'Chemical Ali' hanged

World Jan. 26, 2010 - 03:47AM JST ( 34 )

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34 Comments

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yabitsJan. 26, 2010 - 08:42AM JST

In 1988, as the eight-year Iran-Iraq war was winding down, al-Majid commanded a scorched-earth campaign known as Anfal to wipe out a Kurdish rebellion in the north. An estimated 100,000 people—most of them civilians—were killed in less than a year. Later, al-Majid boasted about the attacks, as well as the separate March 16, 1988, gas attack on Halabja, where an estimated 5,000 people died....After Halabja, the world could no longer turn a blind eye to Iraq’s tactics.

Many in the world did not turn a blind eye. The U.S. saw moves in the Congress to impose sactions on Saddam Hussein and deny him loans and trade. Those moves were strongly opposed by the Republican Senate Leader at the time, Bob Dole -- working on behalf of the Bush Administration.

It is worth recalling that Dole led a Senate delegation to visit Saddam in 1990 and came back praising Saddam as an intelligent leader and asserting that the U.S. could trust him not to use chemical weapons against his own people.
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BeelzebubJan. 26, 2010 - 09:58AM JST

Chemical Ali should have been gassed, not hanged.
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goddogJan. 26, 2010 - 11:50AM JST

gassed slowly
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stipendJan. 26, 2010 - 01:24PM JST

I don't understand the unrest at his demise. The people feared him. He was Sadam Husein's first cousin!
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Patrick SmashJan. 26, 2010 - 02:37PM JST

Taking out Saddam's regime was complete stupidity. He hated hardline Islam, had women in his cabinet, allowed full education of females and universal suffrage. He wasn't very nice, especially to those who tried to overthrow him, but the region was a lot more stable and there were far fewer deaths with Saddam in charge. OK, Chemical ALi was hanged. 37 more dead in Iraq. Worth it? Obviously not.

Moderator: Readers, please do not rehash the tired old comparisons between life under Saddam and life today in Iraq. They are irrelevant to this discussion.
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wizJan. 26, 2010 - 02:44PM JST

Hanging “Chemical Ali” was a big mistake. Iraq never had weapons of mass distruction.
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IvanCoughalotJan. 26, 2010 - 03:31PM JST

I think Ali should certainly have been executed promptly, but a rapid and painless hanging was too good for him.
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GAYMANJan. 26, 2010 - 04:33PM JST

i can't believe he's gone. i was still waiting for the next dance remix album release
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ShonanMaruNo2Jan. 26, 2010 - 06:11PM JST

The suicide bombers apparently agree with Leftists that Ali was not guilty.
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SuperLibJan. 26, 2010 - 06:33PM JST

In one of the recordings, al-Majid was heard vowing to “leave no Kurd (alive) who speaks the Kurdish language.”

Looks like he failed....
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MadvertsJan. 26, 2010 - 06:50PM JST

"The suicide bombers apparently agree with Leftists that Ali was not guilty."

Old friend, would you be so kind as to provide evidence, any kind, of even one leftist that is arguing Chemical Ali was innocent of his crimes?

Thanks.
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stipendJan. 26, 2010 - 08:46PM JST

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton seems to infer an Al-Quaida link to these attacks. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Saddam was not Al-Qaida's friend. They would have threatened his grip. No, they didn't arrive in county until.. wait for it, the US invasion. Nice shot guys! Did the CIA like holding the door open?
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SargeJan. 27, 2010 - 04:38PM JST

"Chemical Ali hanged"

And what made this possible?
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MadvertsJan. 27, 2010 - 04:52PM JST

Well, all I can gather is these mysterious lefties protesting Ali's guilt were just non-existant afterall!