Theodore's World

Dems Back Saddam Hussein in New Poll
Article in NewsMax HERE
Article in Fox News HERE
Poll Results located Here in pdf format.
Wild Thing’s comment………
How many people have to die before the Dems see how evil they themselves truly are? I can tell you it is not only the politicians that feel the way this vote went. There are two people where I work that feel we deserved what happened on 9-11. There is a third person at work that has said ” we should have left Saddam alone, everything was much better when he was in charge in Iraq.” After comments like that and said right to my face there is’t much more that can shock me about how Dems think. They want Bush and America to go down no matter what it takes.
This also explains why they disgraced our country and did nothing under Clinton while 800,000 Rwandans were massacred in just 3 months. This explains also their lack of concern regarding the 2 million massacred in SE Asia when we actually listened to these selfish morons and withdrew from Vietnam. They look the other way while Iran develops nuclear capability.

There is an excellent post about this at Something….and Half of Something

By Staff Sgt. Carmen Burgess
November 28, 2005
“Because of you and your fellow Soldiers, 50 million formerly oppressed people are now free,” Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey tells Soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division Nov. 23.
More of the story here
After Murtha comment today ( he sure has a problem of not being able to shut up). I went to visit Jack’s Army Blog. And saw this story above. Thank you and thank you 3rd Infantry Division for all you do.

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Then over at Department of Defense News they were sharing about Sky Soldiers being honored in Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid, U.S. Central Command commander, congratulates Staff Sgt. Matthew Blaskowski, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne) on receiving the Silver Star for gallantry in combat during a fire fight May 3, 2005, in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. The ceremony was held Nov. 30, 2005, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jon Arguello
Three Silver Stars and three Purple Hearts were presented to the soldiers for actions taken and injuries sustained during Operation Enduring Freedom VI. This company killed about 40 of the bad guys during the operation cited in the awards.

What’s in the News??

Michael Moore told a college audience he absolutely does not own any Halliburton stock – or any other stock. Naughty naughty Michael, guess what Peter Schweizer in the best-seller book “Do As I Say (Not As I Do).” There’s just one problem with that denial. Schweizer’s got proof.”
Notes taken from various write ups online about this Book by Schweizer
“Michael Moore owns tens of thousands of shares in Hallibuton – including nearly 2,000 shares of Boeing, nearly 1,000 of Sonoco, more than 4,000 of Best Foods, more than 3,000 of Eli Lilly, more than 8,000 of Bank One and more than 2,000 of Halliburton, the company most vilified by Moore in “Fahrenheit 9/11.”
Moore’s own signed Schedule D declaring his capital gains and losses where his stock ownership is listed, it’s emblazoned on the cover of Peter Schweizer’s new book………….

“Using IRS records, real estate transactions, court depositions, news reports, financial disclosures, and their own statements, he brings to light a stunning record of shameless hypocrisy. Critics of capitalism and corporate enterprise frequently invest in companies they denounce. Those who believe the rich need to pay more in taxes prove especially adept in avoiding taxes themselves. Those who espouse strict environmental regulations work vigorously to sidestep them when it comes to their own businesses and properties. Those who are strong proponents of affirmative action rarely practiced it — and some have abysmal records when it comes to hiring minorities. Advocates of gun control have no problem making sure than an arsenal of weapons is available to protect them from dangerous criminals.
“Much of what follows,” writes Schweizer in his introduction, “will strike many people as a revelation precisely because liberal hypocrisy gets a big fat pass from the liberal press, which fails to subject prominent liberals to the kind of intense personal scrutiny that is commonly meted out to conservatives.”

Here are some other examples from Schweizser’s book:

“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who proclaims her support for unions, yet the luxury resort, the vineyard and the restaurants she partly owns are strictly non-union. While she advocates tough new laws enforcing environmental regulations on the private sector, the exclusive country club she partly owns failed to comply with existing environmental regulations for the past eight years – including a failure to protect endangered species. “

“Barbara Streisand is another proponent of environmentalism, yet she drives an SUV, lives in a mansion and has a $22,000 annual water bill. In the past, she has driven to appointments in Beverly Hills in a motor home because of her aversion to using public bathrooms.”

“Ralph Nader plays the role of the citizen avenger – the populist uninterested in wealth and materialism, pretending to live in a modest apartment. In fact, he lives in fancy homes registered in the names of his siblings.”

“Hillary Clinton supports the right of thirteen-year-old girls to have abortions without parental consent — yet she forbade thirteen-year-old Chelsea to pierce her ears and enrolled her in a school that would not distribute condoms to minors.”

“Al Franken habitually calls conservatives “liars” and “mean and nasty” — yet as a writer for Saturday Night Live he penned jokes and skits so mean-spirited they appalled even his colleagues, and he uses brazen lies for his bestselling books all the time.”

“Kennedy has introduced dozens of pieces of legislation over the years to encourage alternative energy sources. But he helped block the Cape Wind Project — an effort to provide clean energy for thousands of homes on Cape Cod — because the project would be built in one of the family’s favorite sailing and yachting areas.”

“Ted Kennedy favors racial set-asides on federal contracts — but when it came to his own investment in an entire city block of Washington, DC, he got his political friends to help him waive an affirmative action set-aside.”

“Princeton “ethics” professor Peter Singer crusades for euthanasia for the severely disabled and terminally ill. But when it comes to his own mother, he operates according to more humane principles (fortunately for her).”

“Moore also relentlessly exposes those who fail to meet his standards of racial fairness and equality. So, of the 134 producers, editors, cinematographers, composers, and production coordinators Moore he hired to work on his many movies, how many do you think were black?”

Wild Thing’s comment………. Nothing new to us bloggers, but it sure is great when someone writes a book and does have proof of what we already know about the lefties……………they are liars, fakes and frauds. Not only in politics, but in their personal lives. This ia a fabulous book and one I will make sure I have on the coffee table when my socialist brother in law and his socialist girlfriend (she came here from France 20 years ago) come over t our house. Yes they both hate the rich, hate America and they think Bush is a war criminal. Oh I could go on, but I would only spoil my morning coffee.

Sit back, put your feet up, pour a cup of coffee or open a cold one ………..Wild Thing is in the ring……

I have posted before how I felt about this, I have posted in forums, starting in 1997 when I got my first computer during the Clinton’s reign of terror. I have posted about it at my website and also a few times before on my Blog. And once again I am going to say this, scream this from the rooftops and hammer it in to anyone that will listen.
Republicans STOP Kissing up to the Democrats! Stop beginning every remark on political talk shows, in interviews etc. how so and so ( a Democrat, a Terrorcrat) is your friend. STOP pointing out his or her better qualities right before you disagree with them. STOP and STOP it NOW!
By doing this you weaken your argument, you cater to them in the worst way and it never is reciprocated!
On Wednesday ( Nov.30th,2005) Ann Coulter wrote about exactly what I have been talking about for years! Her column is in regards to Democratic Rep. John Murtha , when he called for the withdrawal of American troops in the middle of the war.

“Republicans immediately leapt to action by calling Murtha a war hero, a patriot and a great American.”- Ann Coulter

She also mentions this

….”I’ve never heard a single liberal preface attacks on Oliver North with a recitation of North’s magnificent service as a Marine. And unlike Murtha, who refuses to release his medical records showing he was entitled to his two Purple Hearts, we know what North did. (These Democrat military veterans are hardly shrinking violets when it comes to citing their medals, but they get awfully squeamish when pressed for details.) “

Please read her article below at the end of my rant because she is right on target!!!
I know all the excuse as to why the Republicans do this. Yep, so many times in fact that my ears get hot just thinking about it, hot with anger! OH yes, it is because they want to try to work together, they do not want to make enemies of the left in case they want their vote on something in the future. Sheesh! How lame is that??!! Pretty darn lame if you ask me. You know the I’ll scratch your back if you scrath mine thang’ ! Well guess what!!! The Democrats NEVER return the back scratching! Look how they have treated President Bush since he became President. They are still angry about the chad count from the first election. They call him Mr. and NEVER President!
The Republicans and I am including our President and VP on this one, they all begin their statements ahout Murtha with what a hero he was. Ladies and gentlemen freaken evil himself, HITLER, enlisted in the German army and saw four years of front-line service during which he was wounded several times and decorated for bravery twice. Now if you think this Wild Thing would sit still for someone referring to Hitler as a War Hero, as a good man because he did a swell job in the Military you have got to be kidding.

“The Americans are not there. They’re not in Baghdad. There are no troops there. Never. They’re not at all.”-April7,2003
I am glad when a Terrocrat ( Democrat) does not like me. It is a compliment! It means I am on the right track and getting to them. I might sit here at my computer and cry because they might have my feelings hurt, but by golly I sure as heck don’t pull back and rethink my next words to them. It makes me stronger then I was before. NOW that is what I want in my politicians. NOT appeasment, NOT surrender, and sure as hell NOT patting the enemy on the back and saying………….” My friend so and so”………….or ” He is a good man, or she is a good women and has served this counrty but we just differ on some things.” Can you imagine if our VP Cheney or President Bush would have lambasted Murtha and anyone else that spoke out about bringing our troops home now. Gave them hell for it and took a stand for our troops in no uncertain terms! I mean the President is their Commander in Chief, their leader just as he is our President! Words mean something and in politics they speak volumes as to how strong a person is and what they will tolerate!

“Tolerance is a virtue of a man without convictions.”
-G.K.Chesterton

Think about this, our men and women serving now have their lives on the line every day, every hour they are in danger with all those IED”s and insurgents our there. And when I hear a Republican politican and he or she can’t be strong and take a stand for what is right it makes me sick to see such weakness. The Terrocrats have treated President Bush and VP Cheney as though they are in THEIR White House. They have treated them in word and deed as though Bush and Cheney and the houses being in the Republican majority are squatters.
Think about this too, how many of us worked hard toward getting Bush elected both times. How many?? LOTS! And I bet you had people attacking you too when you held a sign up for Bush or our troops, or posted on forums where liberals swormed like bees waiting to attack you. But we all kept on, kept the good fight and we did it as our part to take America back from the left. WE stood strong in the face of the enemy. OK, so once we got our people elected in the Senate, Congress and White House we should be able to sit back and watch THEM fight for us and for America and for our Military. Right? Right!

Below is Ann’s Coulter’s column….

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Wild Thing commnet…….She is a wife, a mother, a soldier. She is fighting for you, for me, for America, for the Iraq’s to know freedom too, and God help us she is even fighting for the low life scum the LEFTIES that are attacking her. She is one of America’s Heroes and I feel so fortunate that I can go to her blog and post to her that I am grateful to her. The left should be hung for what they are dolng to her, to so many of our troops. It angers me so much I can hardly type this. I will never forget what the left has been doing to our troops and has always done to our Military. Every death of one of our Military I blame also on the left. They are helping the enemy and they have always helped the enemy.
Thank you to Mr. Right, Cao and others that are making sure everyone knows about this horror being done to one of our own.

I HAVE HAD IT!

It was brought to my attention that my polls had been changed. When I went there, I was completely shocked by all the questions. Once again, it was originally designed to offer a voice in things. And once again it was abused. Do you people think that this is cute, or just hell-bent on trying to get me into trouble? Did I do something so offensive to you personally that you feel the need to attack me in such a personal way? Currently someone has offered to completely redesign this website with built in security. I cannot tell you how happy I am with that. To finally have a website where I can post my stories, and have visitors who do not have to contend with your hacks on soldier’s tributes, insulting people with changing the polls, and the many other things you have done to this website. I know that this isn’t the most secure website, I didn’t realize that it was going be such a requirement when I designed it. I was obviously wrong. I wish to personally say I am sorry to anyone who has had to read or endure the messages or polls that may have been offensive on this website. You will note that the units have been removed from the menu in addition to the polls for the same security reasons. As upset and humilitaed as I am, I am not going to quit. I am not going to abandon this project, or terminate the website. I will learn, improve, adapt, and overcome your childish attacks. I should have known as soon as I saw that you were coming back out of hiding to resume posting your hateful and spiteful comments that something like this would occur.
I will hope and pray this will be the last time I have to post another message like this. But if not, know that I will not be defeated. I will not let your emails refering to me as a “baby killer”, your calls for me to walk away from my duties, your questioning of my loyality to this county discourage me. I will not let your small minded attacks to my website deny me my voice, I have earned that right. And I will not continue to allow you to insult the visitors who come to this website to read or learn about life here. This is not a political website so please refrain from making it one. I will begin to delete your comments, I will backup this website so as to overcome your attacks, and I will await the completion of the new website.
Grey Eagle
“Air Assault”

Wild Thing’s comment……………….
Thank you 101st Airborne Division and Grey Eagle!! Please everyone, before you do anything else today, go tell Gray Eagle hi and post to her.

Ted Kavanau is a veteran television news executive, was one of the founders of CNN and created CNN’s Headline News. He has served in news managerial capacities at TV stations in New York, Oakland, Calif., and San Diego. He discovered Katie Couric, and groomed several of the newscasters we see on news shows today.

Wild Thing comment…… I realize Katie Couric is a piece of crap and I can’t stand her but these are the facts and unlike the MSM I will not keep information from a post I make. I put it all out there for you to see and know. Heck I hired some real winners ( UGH) in my business too over the years…..OK BACK to the rest of my post.
Ted Kavanau left this comment on the Brent Bennett post the other day. Here it is.

Americans should understand the stake they have in helping free Jack, Brent and Ed and put back in action his team of terrorist hunting Afghans. Very recent history makes the case ever more sharply. Following the three bombings of American-owned Hotels in Jordan there was again a lot of chatter by pundits on TV here about how vulnerable we are in the US. Was that vulnerablity a surprise to anybody? Did it really take a horrific event to happen before we again fall back into enjoying our pleasant lifesyles? It is ironic that the attack in Jordan comes one day after the British Parliament voted down Tony Blair’s proposal to triple the number of days a suspected terrorist can be held in a British prison. I hear the British press is calling for Tony Blair to resign after his defeat. I think it is time for the British Parliament members who voted against him to resign. Here in the US the Democrats, after a few electoral victories in Governor races, are smelling Bush weakness and again getting aggressive about our not yet finding Bin Laden (as well their other complaints about the war in Iraq). The Republicans are playing into the hands not only of their political enemies, but of their terrorist enemies by not unleashing one of the best weapons they have against Al Qaeda and its followers, namely Jack Idema, Brent Bennett and the Afghans warriors of Saber7. If Idema and the others had not been arrested, there was good reason (you can read all about it on www.superpatriots.us) to believe Idema would have captured Bin Laden.
Let’s hope that with the new Afghan Parliament Idema and Saber7 will again have the opportunity to go hunt terrorists and keep us all a lot safer. That’s the stake we all have in what happens to Idema and his team and that is why his story is so worthy of our attention and our action.

Help us put pressure on our elected representatives and ask them why these men have not been released–since they were declared innocent at the end of March, 2005 and the only reason they’re still being held at Pulacharke is because the US Government has ordered it.
When all was said and done, these people admitted that no torture occurred, and 5 Afghan Supreme Court Justices decleared them innocent of all charges. Yet, the American government won’t allow them to be released. The question is…why?
What I don’t understand is why Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Red Cross and all those “watch groups” haven’t raised any hell in this case. I haven’t heard the human rights activists complaining about THESE injustices, why would that be? Could it be that the only people they are supporting in terms of human rights violations are the terrorists and not our soldiers and the men who are defending us in this war?

Idema was tortured with boiling water, starvation, threats of death, and assault with various implements (such as wire cables and rubber whips), resulting in broken ribs, a separated sternum, torn rotator cuffs, hemorrhaged eyes, multiple concussions, lacerations, contusions, and bruises. Although the U.S. Embassy later had medical reports indicating the extent of the torture, Sandra Ingram, Assistant U.S. Consul DOS Kabul, ordered the reports rewritten to tone down the extent of the injuries.

And let’s not forget how they were treated at Thanksgiving:

Thanksgiving for Jack Idema, Captain Bennett, Lt Banderas, and Journalist Carabello went like this: Ten US Special Operations Soldiers were threatened by the Dept of State with Article 15’s (low level court martials) if they brought Turkey to Pulacharke Prison on Thanksgiving.

If that’s not enough,

US Consul Addie Harchick visted them, refused them mail, and then tried to drive away with the water the Marines sent them, until an Afghan General had his bodyguards block the Embassy car and force them to deliver the water. One of the State Dept Security officers told the story at bar last night, and it made the boys sitting there listening f***ing sick. We treated Nazi POWs better than this.

Now denying them water might not seem to be a big deal, but it really is and this is part of the reason why.

Without water, they will be forced to drink local water which contains microorganisms and bacteria fatal to American citizens and forces in Central West Asia. Although ciprofloxacin can be administered to combat the severe dysentery, vomiting, and eventually death* that will occur as the result of the denial of drinking water, two problems make this solution untenable. First, ciprofloxacin is not readily available, the US Embassy has already refused to supply drugs to them, and the FBI confiscated the medical and surgical kits they possessed to avoid any link to the United States government.** Second, because Idema has operated in Afghanistan for more than three years, he has already used ciprofloxacin extensively and is not a suitable candidate for continued long-term use. The same situation would apply to Bennett and Caraballo if they were to be forced into long-term use of ciprofloxacin. Therefore, the denial of water is not only completely retaliatory and nefarious, but brutally vindictive and unwarranted.

Something’s terribly wrong here, and part if it has to do with the leftists who are supporting the rights of the enemy versus truly supporting our troops and the people who are fighting the WOT on our behalf.

We should make it clear that we know what has gone on here and that it’s an outrage and all men from TF Sabre/7 should be released, exonerated, their names cleared. And we should be also pushing for a Congressional investigation as to who was involved, the how and the why. Nobody fighting in Afghanistan or Iraq should EVER have to worry about being hung out to dry like this by a government that is employing stalinist tactics and turning its back on all the freedoms and rights that have been provided and guaranteed us by our founding documents and the blood of our forefathers, many of whom are laying at Arlington cemetary–as well as old standards which all men in uniform think they have as safeguards such as the Geneva Conventions. Are we to apply the Geneva Conventions to terrorists to whom these safeguards don’t apply and ignore them for our men in uniform for whom they were written???
If so, we’re setting ourselves up for FAILURE in this TERROR WAR.
This is the “Free Jack” campaign.
To join the campaign, email Cao of Cao’s Blog and tell her you want to join the Free Jack Idema blogburst. You will be added to the blogroll and she’ll send you the html code to put up for that week in case you’re pressed for time and can’t put something together…or you can write your own.
We will be blogging on this every Wednesday until he and his team are released, and when they are, we’ll be blogging about a congressional hearing.
Cao will maintain an email list, and will email you the post of the week along with a picture (if there is one for that week) to host at your blog.
Join the fight. No American should ever have to worry about ending up in this predicament ever again. But first, we must make sure they get home safely and in one piece.
These are the blogs so far who are participating:

For information on where to write and call please continue………………………..

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The Chosin
With winter coming and maybe even already here in some States. With winter coming to Iraq and Afghanistan where so many of our troops are located. I was thinking of the well-known campaigns in the Korean War that took place in the Chosin Reservoir area of North Korea. Of all the wars where our Military had to fight in cold, unbearable cold weather, and then the sizzling humid heat of that our Vietnam Vets had to endure.
Today I received a letter from one of our solders in Baghdad. It was as though I had received a Christmas present early to get this letter today. His note inside was very kind and thanking me from his heart for my support. Can you imagine he was thanking me, I am no one special, he is the one that is over there and I am the one thanking him and all of our troops. I honestly can’t remember one day that has gone by that I do not think about our Veterans or our Troops. In war time or peace I can never forget.
I would like to share these two videos with you. They are both very special. One is about Thanking our Troops.
Thank you Troops
And this one is about thanking not only our troops but our Veterans as well. In the song it says, “take a pittance, a pittance of time to never forget”………
Pittance of Time
They BOTH are awesome and I needed a lot of Kleenex for each of them. Turn up the volume and watch the videos. The music is great too!!!!

Giant mosque for 40,000 may be built at London Olympics
Times online has this story
A MASSIVE mosque that will hold 40,000 worshippers is being proposed beside the Olympic complex in London to be opened in time for the 2012 Games.
The project’s backers hope the mosque and its surrounding buildings would hold a total of 70,000 people, only 10,000 fewer than the Olympic stadium.
Its futuristic design features wind turbines instead of the traditional minarets, while a translucent latticed roof would replace the domes seen on most mosques. The complex is designed to become the “Muslim quarter” for the Games, acting as a hub for Islamic competitors and spectators.
“It will be something never seen before in this country. It is a mosque for the future as part of the British landscape,” said Abdul Khalique, a senior member of Tablighi Jamaat, a worldwide Islamic missionary group that is proposing the mosque as its new UK headquarters.
Tablighi Jamaat has come under scrutiny from western security agencies since 9/11. Two years ago, according to The New York Times, a senior FBI anti-terrorism official claimed it was a recruiting ground for Al-Qaeda. British police investigated a report that Mohammad Sidique Khan, leader of the July 7 London bombers, had attended its present headquarters in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. In August, Bavaria expelled three members of the organisation on the grounds that it promoted Islamic extremism.
Defenders of Tablighi Jamaat say that it is not political and confines itself to humanitarian work. It was founded in India under the British Raj and has many members in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The east London complex would have by far the largest capacity of any religious building in Britain. The biggest at present is the Baitul Futuh in Morden, Surrey, which holds about 10,000 worshippers. Liverpool’s Anglican cathedral, the largest Christian place of worship, has a capacity of 3,000.
The new building will be called the London Markaz (Arabic for centre) and will be built in place of an existing mosque on a 10-acre site 500 yards from the Olympic development.
The three-storey mosque will be designed to accommodate more than 40,000 worshippers. Its sweeping roof is intended to evoke tented cities.
The complex would include a garden, school, library and accommodation for visiting worshippers.
Islamic calligraphy would cover the walls and ceilings, the washing areas would have cascading water to mimic a stream, and the complex’s buildings would be adapted to allow extra worshippers during festivals such as Eid, accommodating a further 30,000 visitors.
Ali Mangera, the London and Barcelona-based architect who is designing the mosque, said: “People in this country build mosques with fake domes and plastic minarets to look like the mosques back home. Islam has traditionally been at the forefront of technology and change. The Markaz will reflect this. It will be more than a mosque. The whole idea behind it is to break down barriers.”
Mangera has previously worked with leading British architects including Zaha Hadid, designer of the Cardiff opera house. Mangera and Tablighi Jamaat are in negotiations with Newham council, the Greater London Authority and the Thames Gateway Development Corporation for planning permission.
Sunil Sahadevan, a planning officer at Newham council, said: “We are working towards the mosque application with the organisers and discussions are ongoing. The application will be finalised over the next year.”
It is estimated that the project would cost more than £100m and donations are being sought from Britain and abroad.

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Wild Thing’s comment…………….

Well isn’t that just so special, I guess they don’t want the Muslims to have to walk to far to go to the games. Do you think they will also install the suicide bomb vending machines prior to the Games?
Well we are not that far off from something like that here………….
From NY Newsday

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority says it will provide a special area for anyone who wants a place to pray while at Giants Stadium or the Continental Airlines Arena _ a reaction to Muslim groups’ outcries after several fans who prayed at a New York Giants game were detained and questioned by the FBI in September.

OH holy COW what next!!!!! ?????????? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was on my homepage for Comcast and says ONE HOUR AGO….……..and also HERE at Yahoo.

Clark Arrives to Assist Saddam Defense

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi police arrested eight Sunni Arabs in the northern city of Kirkuk for allegedly plotting to assassinate the investigating judge who prepared the case against Saddam Hussein, a senior police commander said Sunday. The announcement came as former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark arrived in Baghdad, airport officials said, apparently to aid in Saddam’s defense.
Clark has been advising nearly a dozen international lawyers on Saddam’s defense team. He has contended that Saddam’s rights have been violated in the legal process following his capture. But a U.S. government official close to the court said the defense team had not filed the proper paperwork to have a non-Iraqi lawyer in the courtroom.
The men who were arrested for plotting to kill the judge were carrying a document from former top Saddam deputy Izzat al-Douri ordering them to kill Raed Juhi, said Col. Anwar Qadir, a police commander in Kirkuk, where the men were arrested Saturday.
Al-Douri is the highest ranking member of the Saddam regime still at large and is believed to be at least the symbolic leader of Saddam loyalists still fighting U.S. forces and the new government in Iraq.
The arrest came two days before Saddam’s trial resumes after a five-week break.
The first prosecution witnesses are expected to testify before the five-judge panel, offering accounts of the deaths of more than 140 Shiite villagers following an assassination attempt against Saddam in the town of Dujail in 1982.
If convicted, Saddam and his seven co-defendants could be sentenced to death by hanging.
Security concerns prompted the defense team to threaten a boycott of Monday’s session after two members were slain in separate attacks after the trial opened Oct. 19. The U.S. official, who requested anonymity in return for providing the information, also said no request by a member of the defense team for security has been denied.
Attorneys for each defendant agreed to appear Monday, and the trial is expected to proceed as scheduled, the official added.
The chief trial judge said in remarks released Sunday in Germany that he has considered whether the court should move to Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq because of poor security in the capital.
“So far, the situation allows regular and fair proceedings of the court, even if the conditions are admittedly difficult,” Rizgar Mohammed Amin was quoted as saying in the German news weekly Focus.
“I have already thought about whether one shouldn’t move the court to the Kurdish areas, where the situation is quieter and more security would be assured.”
The interview will be published Monday.
On Saturday, a U.S. Marine died when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb near Camp Taqaddum, 45 miles west of Baghdad, the U.S. command said. A statement said the Marine was assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The latest death raised the number of U.S. service members to die since the Iraq war started in March 2003 to at least 2,106, according to an Associated Press count.
Before dawn Sunday, about 350 Iraqi soldiers in 50 vehicles carried out an operation in a Sunni Muslim area south of Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad. A similar operation two weeks ago brought national protests from Sunni leaders.
Iraqi army Maj. Karim Al-Zihayri said 15 people were arrested on suspicion of planting roadside bombs, attacking checkpoints, kidnapping and theft. The troops did not meet any resistance, he added.
U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned of an increase in insurgent attacks ahead of the Dec. 15 elections, in which voters will choose the first fully constitutional parliament since Saddam’s regime was ousted in April 2003.
American authorities hope for a big Sunni Arab turnout, which could produce a government that would win the trust of the religious community that forms the backbone of the insurgency.
President Jalal Talabani said Sunday that insurgent groups have responded to his call for talks and have contacted his office.
“We are receiving calls from groups who claim to be from the resistance and they are expressing their support for meetings” with the government, Talabani told reporters. “We want to convince every sincere Iraqi who is carrying arms to come and participate in the political process.”
Talabani did not name the groups that contacted his office, but residents of Anbar province said Thursday that four insurgent groups active in that area are conferring among themselves to choose a representative to meet government officials.
In an interview published in London on Sunday, former interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi told The Observer newspaper that human rights abuses in Iraq are now as bad as they were under Saddam.
“People are doing the same as Saddam’s time and worse,” he was quoted as saying. “It is an appropriate comparison.”
Allawi accused fellow Shiites in the government of being responsible for death squads and secret torture centers.
“These were the precise reasons that we fought Saddam and now we are seeing the same thing,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.
For months, Sunni Arabs have been accusing the Interior Ministry of wholesale arrests and abuse of Sunnis in an attempt to find a handful of rebels. The discovery by U.S. troops this month of up to 173 detainees _ malnourished and some showing signs of torture _ hidden in an Interior Ministry building in central Baghdad gave credence to those charges.
The Iraqi government has set up a committee that is investigating the case, but Talabani told reporters Sunday he did not believe there was a serious problem.
“I believe there is exaggeration, but every incident should be investigated,” he said.
In Baghdad on Sunday, a group of women protested outside the Interior Ministry building, demanding information about relatives taken by security forces and never heard from again.
“What have they done wrong?” asked one woman, who identified herself only as Um Nabeel. “Let the government tell us where they are. If they were killed let them tell us where their bodies are.”
Wild Thing’s comment………….
Just this I despise him !