US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD4319

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 004319 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, KPAO, IZ, Media, Saddam Hussein 
SUBJECT: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - October 19, 2005 
 
SUMMARY: Discussions of Saddam's trial and its significance 
in conjunction with the constitutional referendum were the 
major editorial themes of Iraqi, Arabic language websites on 
October 19, 2005. END SUMMARY. 
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
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A.   "No One Cares About Saddam's Trial" (Iraq 4 All News, 
  10/19) 
B. "Saddam Tells Tyrants to Beware" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/19) 
C. "From Referendum to Saddam" (Independent Iraqi News 
Agency, 10/19) 
 
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SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
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A. "No One Cares About Saddam's Trial" 
(Editorial from the Saudi Al-Watan newspaper, posted on Iraq 
4 All News - http://iraq4all.org/viewnews.php?id=10376 ) 
 
"The curtains are open, the actors are ready, but the 
audience is busy with something else. Today is the first day 
of Saddam Hussein's trial, and the long awaited tribunal 
seems to have lost its glamour. It has been a long time 
since the fall of the Ba'ath regime and it seems that Iraqis 
have realized that Saddam's reign ended with the fall of his 
statue in April 2003. In these critical times Iraqis are 
indifferent to Saddam's trial; they would rather question 
the repeated power outages and water shortages, and 
concentrate their efforts on finding jobs and improving 
security conditions. 
 
"The U.S. media machine might suffer terrible consequences 
after promoting Saddam's trial; even assuming that most 
Iraqis hate Saddam, they also hate the way things have 
turned out. Sunnis, in particular, hate the U.S. occupation 
and the disrespect toward Iraqis. 
 
"Describing Saddam's trial as ridiculous might be as 
accurate as possible. The defense team's absence during 
certain proceedings as well as accusations of neglecting 
legal procedures by the court will result in a chaotic trial 
that is more of a political play than anything else, and 
will fail to meet international standards. 
 
"The U.S. has exploited Saddam's trial to serve its 
interests; it also tried to extend the trial to strengthen 
its presence. The idea that the trial's results will support 
U.S. plans is questionable, especially if we take into 
consideration the trial of Serbian president Slobodan 
Milosevic, which had no positive effect whatsoever on the 
presence and reputation of international forces in Serbia." 
 
B. "Saddam Tells Tyrants to Beware" 
(Editorial by Sarum Al-Faili - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice of 
Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles- 
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17679 ) 
 
"Saddam will stand trial today in front of Iraqis. There 
will be photos and footage of the man who previously put all 
courts of justice on hold and ran everything through his 
military intelligence [apparatus]. Today the tyrant stands 
without power, wealth, or good deeds. God willing, he will 
be condemned to hell.and go on to remember the many crimes 
that he committed, including the gassing of Muslim Kurds. 
 
"Let's turn this trial into a triumph of the weak who were 
unable to take a stand for themselves, into a rejection of 
sectarianism, racism, and bloody Ba'athism embodied in 
Saddam. Today, rationalism, realism, diversity, and 
democracy emerge victorious; Saddam was their enemy. It is 
the moment of justice for many lives raped; bodies torn 
apart; many widows; grieving mothers; and orphans suffering 
fear and deprivation. By trying the tyrant, we condemn those 
who contributed to-or overlooked-the suffering of innocent 
people. 
 
"I am sure that all tyrants will spend their nights haunted 
by the suppression of their nations after seeing Saddam in 
the defendant's cage. It might be an opportunity for them to 
change, but a very difficult opportunity for those in power 
and those who seek to regain it in Iraq." 
 
C. "From Referendum to Saddam" 
(Editorial by Ja'far Mohammed Ahmed - Independent Iraqi News 
Agency - http://www.normal.iraq- 
ina.com/showarticles.php?id=1492 ) 
 
"The constitutional referendum passed more peacefully and 
calmly than expected. There were some attacks, but they were 
minor compared to the lethal explosions in the preceding 
days. Iraq chose democracy in its own unique way-not as 
American President George Bush would like. Iraqis went to 
ballot boxes and said their words regarding the 
constitution. They chose the weapon of words rather than 
bombs and bullets. 
 
"Iraqis used the referendum to prove that they are the 
opinion-holders and they determine Iraq's future, not the 
American occupation that deceived them with false promises 
and dreams that turned into nightmares. [American] 
falsehoods were revealed just like the weak justification 
used to invade Iraq. Iraqi people challenged the difficult 
conditions and threats and practiced their rights to vote 
and express their attitudes. 
 
"Participation in the voting process, and Sunni 
participation after realizing the huge mistake of boycotting 
elections last January, confirmed the need for national 
reconciliation and.[the need for] Amr Musa's visit to 
Baghdad. All should work to make this initiative successful; 
it will lead Iraqis toward reconciliation, without which 
Iraq will not rebuild or reform. 
 
"Iraqis overcame the constitution battle and now they face 
former president Saddam Hussein's trial, which begins on 
Wednesday. It is undoubtedly an exciting trial and it will 
bring back painful memories and anger. The paradox is that 
the trial, which took so long to begin, comes four days 
after the constitutional referendum. Will it pass 
peacefully, unaccompanied by bloody, violent acts that 
deepen Iraqi wounds and return Iraq to the very beginning? 
 
"Between the referendum and Saddam's trial, Iraqis, along 
with Arabs and Muslims, hope Iraq will move beyond the 
painful past and bring back security, which has been lost 
during the American occupation. The referendum's result is 
the people's decision; Saddam's trial is the responsibility 
of the judiciary." 
 
SATTERFIELD