On Saddam's trial.

To provide the readers with some view of the responses of Iraqis and Arabs to the trial of Saddam, I’ve translated some of the opinions posted by Iraqis and arabs in the Arabic forum of the BBCArabic website.

There were 129 posts at the time I’ve I started translating these comments. 57 of those came from Iraq and the rest came mainly from Egypt, Jordan, the gulf states and other Arab countries. 6 Iraqis out of the 57 were against the trial while the rest expressed great joy and happiness in response to this event.
Among the rest 72 comments that came from Arab citizens, there were 37 posters who opposed the trial for one reason or another while the rest shared the majority of Iraqis their happiness and optimism about this trial. Most of the Arab posters supporting the trial were from the Gulf state, while most of those who opposed it came from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. Here are some of these comments that I’ve selected:



-Handing over Saddam and his assistants is a positive step and a definite proof that the Americans consider spreading and supporting justice in Iraq as a priority.
Ali Dia’a Al Deen-Baghdad/Iraq.

-If we are to claim arab and Muslim brotherhood, then at least we should not accept the murder of our brothers. I don’t know how can anyone defend a man like Saddam when he killed hundreds of thousands of your brothers in Iraq, Iran and Kuwait.
A fellow Iraqi once said to me, “if Saddam had treated us in the same manner Sharon treats Palestinians, we would’ve sacrificed our lives to defend him!” If the arab nations see Saddam as a hero then I’m not an Arab anymore and congratulations for your remaining “heros” (God bless them!).
Mohammed Mohsin-Iraqi in Dubai.


-We wish, by God we wish! We count hours and minutes to see justice done. Everyone here wants to take revenge by his own hands. Yet, let justice take its course.
Mohammed Al Badri-Nassiriya/iraq.

-This trial will show that Saddam is a hero that will be remembered by history and it’s enough to see that it was broadcasted without the sound.
Mohammed Al Salami-Egypt.

-Let the those who judge Saddam take his place, and if the world want to judge someone let us start with America and Israel.
Khudir Al Dagdad-Amman/Jordan.

-Thank God for this trial and for humiliating Saddam just as he humiliated Iraq and almost destroyed her entirely if it wasn’t for the US led coalition. We (Iraqis not Egyptians or Palestinians) demand his execution and we thank the Americans for saving us from his tyranny.
Gazwan-Syrea.

-Congratulation mother, the day you’ve always prayed for has come. Rest in peace father, now I see with my own eyes what you sacrificed your life for. Thank God Almighty, and all the gratitude to the man; GWB who made this possible and humiliated the Pharaoh of the present time.
Ahmed-Australia.


-The Americans are the ones who will judge Saddam behind the curtains therefore anyone who calls for Saddam to be judged is a Zionist-American. We in Palestine call for his release.
Al Salih Rami- Al Quds/Palestine.

-To Mr. Al Salih Rami: putting Saddam into a trial is part of Iraq’s freedom and independence, the freedom that you don’t have, and By the way; where can we find this Palestine you’re talking about?
Arif-Iraq.

-Congratulations for our people. The tyrant’s hour has came. As for Arabs; congratulations for your slavery and your submission to your tyrants.
Shakir Al Ajili-Babylon/Iraq.

-Saddam and his assistants are valuable national treasure. They should be put in the zoo and anyone who wants to watch has to pay 10$ to the Iraqi treasury. Maybe it’ll compensate for some of the losses and the damages they’ve done.
Ali Al Hussaini-Iraqi in Iran.

-Let the open trail for Saddam be a lesson for all those who don’t know the meaning of freedom in the ME. Here are Iraqis starting a new era. Iraq will be the first and the rest will follow.
Kasim Al Haj Ali-Sweden.

-May you rest in peace, victims of the mass graves and chemical weapons, Kuwaiti and Iranian youths. It’s the justice hour.
The Iraqi government is capable of handling Saddam’s trial, as for the protection, Iraqi armed forces can provide it and there is no harm in getting help from the American army. We’ll send the good news to all Saddam lovers and we will show them how we handle justice and we will not forget to thank the Americans; they are who saved us from him, arrested him and handed him to us and they are the ones who keep their promises. We wish that Al Zargawi and his gang get arrested and face justice soon.
Mohammed Al Khafaji-Babylon.

-I say, congratulation for the Iraqis, as America is proving that she is keeping her promises opposite to what some Arabs and fundamentalists claim. She promised to topple Saddam and she did, she promised to hand over the authority and she did and she promised to hand over Saddam and she did. She promised to help us have free elections and this will happen by God’s will. As for some of the arabs who weep upon Saddam, they need urgent psychotherapy. I wish some of these people come to Iraq (not in a car loaded with explosives) and voice their opinion here in public.
Mohammed-Baghdad