AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein's defense lawyers said Monday they had received no response from the U.S. administration in Iraq and the International Committee of the Red Cross to repeated requests to see their client.

Lawyers representing the ousted leader also said they were ready to represent Iraqi prisoners abused by U.S. and British soldiers, whose pictures angered people around the world.

"We are willing to take legal action against the U.S. administration and the Red Cross if they don't allow us to see President Saddam," said Jordanian lawyer Mohammad Rashdan, one of a 20-member legal team appointed by Saddam's wife to represent him.

Rashdan told Reuters in Amman his team had received no response so far to requests to visit Saddam.

The U.S.-appointed Governing Council is setting up a war crimes tribunal and has already chosen judges to try Saddam, who was captured in December, on charges that may include genocide and crimes against humanity...

<a href='http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reutersEdge&storyID=5094994' target='_blank'>http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=5094994</a>

I don't think we should doubt that Saddam will be given ample time to meet with his legal counsel.

They haven't even set a trial date or selected prosecutors yet.

Also, the body of evidence is public and extensive. There is no need to delay the preparation of his defense until they meet him.

Their real problem is that their client is guilty as sin and there aren't many defensive strategies available to them. Meeting with him won't solve that.

Actually, there is one strategy that would be ironic even if it doesn't succeed in a court of law. Saddam could say... "Everything I did, I had to do simply to govern Iraq. This place was a hell hole, is a hell hole, and will always be a hell hole. If you let me go, I'll promise I'll come back to power and settle things down for you."*

* note I'm not actually arguing that Iraq is worse off now, just pointing out the fact that Saddam is probably laughing at us right now for our naivety.

OUGwave Wrote:Actually, there is one strategy that would be ironic even if it doesn't succeed in a court of law. Saddam could say... "Everything I did, I had to do simply to govern Iraq. This place was a hell hole, is a hell hole, and will always be a hell hole. If you let me go, I'll promise I'll come back to power and settle things down for you."

Interesting strategy
Or we could just do this to Saddam or even this :chair:

OUGwave Wrote:Their real problem is that their client is guilty as sin and there aren't many defensive strategies available to them. Meeting with him won't solve that.

Actually, I think the real problem is that we want him tried by the new Iraq government. As I recall, the Geneva Convention prohibits turning over prisoners held by a detaining power, to anything but another power (signatory to the Convention). The new Iraq government is not yet organized, it is not recognized, and it is not a "Power" as the term has meaning under the Convention.

So, to whom shall we turn over Sadam for trial?

sherman&amp;grant Wrote:

OUGwave Wrote:Their real problem is that their client is guilty as sin and there aren't many defensive strategies available to them. Meeting with him won't solve that.

Actually, I think the real problem is that we want him tried by the new Iraq government. As I recall, the Geneva Convention prohibits turning over prisoners held by a detaining power, to anything but another power (signatory to the Convention). The new Iraq government is not yet organized, it is not recognized, and it is not a "Power" as the term has meaning under the Convention.

So, to whom shall we turn over Sadam for trial?

Once we "hand over sovereignty" at the end of June, the occupation will technically end and the Iraqi authority will be the legitimate authority in Iraq. The CPA will be abolished. We just don't know what the Iraqi government will look like yet. We are relying on U.N. Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to figure that out for us, and once he does, it will be formed, blessed by the UN, and recgonized internationally. The trial can be held any time after that date.