All of these were possible, but they still seemed risky, a bit too obvious. But now it looks like they’ve finally hit on a winning formula: first put him on a trial for a very circumscribed, local atrocity, one that doesn’t involve the Iran-Iraq war (with America’s extensive involvement on Saddam’s side) or the first Gulf War (with America’s extensive involvement in Saddam’s military buildup before that conflict) or even the Shiite and Kurdish massacres after the Gulf War (which would highlight Bush Senior’s role in assisting Saddam in putting down the uprisings which Bush himself had called for; also, any probe into “gassing his own people” would lead right back to the Reagan-Bush role in providing Saddam with WMD technology – including numerous poisons).
You could then convict him on this narrower charge – and execute him for it! No need to drag out all that unseemly business about Ronald Reagan and the Bushes and what have you. And no need to bump him off beforehand in some cack-handed manner. The secret of America’s ungodly machinations with this thug will thus stay safely buried.
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