# Saddam Captured: What now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 14, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931 "2003-12-14T11:18:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/81 "2003-12-14T20:05:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Admin has put a great deal of effort into stating the case that the Iraqi “resistance” is made up primarily of Saddamite “die-hards” and Baathist remnants. If such is truly the case, then we might reasonably expect the “resistance” to collapse. The phrase is “Dead-Enders”. These are people known to the public to have committed atrocities. They have no future in Iraq. It’s fight or die. The only other possibility is that these people would try to get out of the country. I for one expect the attacks to continue. However, with absolutely no chance that Saddam could wind up back in power, I expect greater cooperation with the U.S., more intelligence, and a big reduction in recruiting and financing of the anti-coalition resistance. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/82 "2003-12-14T20:24:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > \*\* > I think you should try to read something informative about “all the Arab world” and in addition to that about the organisation known as named “Al Qaeda”. > Which has absolutely nothing to do with Iraq and Hussein let be with “all the Arab world”. > \*\* I haven’t said that it did. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > \*\* > > And besides this your post makes the following clear to me: > > 1. You see “all the Arab world” as Al Qaeda members/supporters. > > Thank you, but be so kind to exclude me, my family, my relatives, my friends, my whole entourage and millions and millions of other Arabs in “all the Arab world”. > \*\* I’m not sure how this was made clear to you. This was not the intent of my comment, nor does the text of my comment bear that interpretation. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > \*\* > 2. You make it clear that you think “all the Arab world” is ready and waiting to fall backwards en masse in sheer admiration for the USA if they ever manage to get out of Iraq leaving there some sort of puppet “democracy” that can devellop in yet an other US serving slave in the region. Which isn’t even likely to be a prospect still, but that is an other matter. > > Thank you, but be so kind to exclude of that general falling backwards in sheer admiration the underscribed, my family, my relatives, my friends, my whole entourage and millions and millions of others (Arab or not) on this globe. > \*\* I’m not sure how this was made clear to you. This was not the intent of my comment, nor does the text of my comment bear that interpretation. Please review my statement. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/83 "2003-12-14T20:37:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dignan \* > \*\*Aldebaran, give it up already. It is not everyone’s goal in life to upset you. The way I interpreted SimonX’s comment was that most of the Arab world already knows al-Qaeda is a bad organization full of thugs that is giving Muslims a bad name. I think SimonX was saying that now the Arabs that did side with al-Qaeda will come to their senses. \*\* This is a much closer interpretation of what I wrote. However, the capture of Hussein alone is insufficient. What’d have to happen is that it would have to be, (and we’d have to be able to clearly show), that the only violence in Iraq was not the result of Iraqis seeking to expel invaders, but rather unwelcome terrorists engaging the US in Iraqis’ backyard. If this were to come to pass then I have reason to believe that sympathies for Qaeda would be signifigantly lessened. That’s why I said, “ **If** we play this the right way, **maybe** we can make al Qaeda look like the bad guys to _ALL_ of the Arab world.” And yes, I emphasized “all” to show that indeed, I didn’t think that all of the Arab world harbored sympathies for Qaeda. I think that those who do hold such sympathies think that they’re acting in the best interests of Arabs at large. However, if could be shown that Qaeda was acting for their own edification rather than out of altruistic motivations then I believe that those who have esteem for them would be turned off to them. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/84 "2003-12-14T20:42:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TeaElle \* > \*\* > > For everyone going on the “illegal war, illegal arrest” thing, one question: > > \*\* It’s not at all clear that anyone is saying that the arrest is illegal. AFACT, **DtC** was just asking a valid question. And, thankfully, **RTF** simply provided the requested info. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/85 "2003-12-14T20:58:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*Wouldn’t it be wiser to try him in a world court? I mean doesn’t he still have loyalists in Iraq? I tend to think just handing over to Iraqis and saying … “do your best”… would just be a big mess. \*\* The US withdrew from the International Crime Court… ---
**Author:** ![MemoryLeak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6f9a4e/32.png) [@MemoryLeak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MemoryLeak)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/86 "2003-12-14T21:20:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aldebaran \* > \*\*Thank you, but be so kind to exclude of that general falling backwards in sheer admiration the underscribed, my family, my relatives, my friends, my whole entourage and millions and millions of others (Arab or not) on this globe. > > Salaam. A \*\* You have an entourage!:eek: I’ve always wanted one. Could you email me instructions. Thanks. Later. M ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/87 "2003-12-14T21:32:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > \*\*It’s not at all clear that anyone is saying that the arrest is illegal. AFACT, **DtC** was just asking a valid question. > > And, thankfully, **RTF** simply provided the requested info. \*\* Actually, as I think about this more, **DtC** is at least being consistent in his views. Many posters in GD have called the Iraq war “illegal”. If it was in fact illegal, then the occupation of Iraq is illegal, and the arrest of Saddam was also illegal. Anyone holding that view (ie, that the war was illegal) must logically then support the immediate release of Saddam Hussein, no? Is there anyone who claimed the war was illegal who does not agree with that assesment? If so, I’d be interested in hearing the justification. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/88 "2003-12-14T21:45:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Menocchio \* > \*\*That’s nice. > > Where’s Osama? > > I mean, he’s actually a danger to me and my own, unlike Saddam. \*\* Perhaps members of his family know. But it’s probably a little harder to ask them since TeamBush gave them special assistance in fleeing the US on Sept 13, 2001, when no one else was going anywhere. Hmph. That’s kinda funny. But hey, we captured a piece of lice-ridden meat hiding in a hole! Yay! We’re saved! ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/89 "2003-12-14T21:57:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MemoryLeak \* > \*\*You have an entourage!:eek: > > I’ve always wanted one. Could you email me instructions. Thanks. > > Later. M \*\* I don’t think you would like it that much once you’ve got it. It has the strange habit to refuse to disappear, even if you would like it. Unless you hide on an unknown deserted island like for example the internet. Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![YourOldBuddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bc79bd/32.png) [@YourOldBuddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YourOldBuddy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/90 "2003-12-14T22:12:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Saddam Captured: What now? More muslim humiliation such as by excamining SH for lice on TV is just what the WOT needs. /sarcasm Might help Bush stay in office as well. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/91 "2003-12-14T22:14:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SimonX \* > This is a much closer interpretation of what I wrote. However, the capture of Hussein alone is insufficient. What’d have to happen is that it would have to be, (and we’d have to be able to clearly show), that the only violence in Iraq was not the result of Iraqis seeking to expel invaders, but rather unwelcome terrorists engaging the US in Iraqis’ backyard. If this were to come to pass then I have reason to believe that sympathies for Qaeda would be signifigantly lessened. That’s why I said, “ **If** we play this the right way, **maybe** we can make al Qaeda look like the bad guys to _ALL_ of the Arab world.” I’m sorry, I don’t think I can follow here what you are trying to bring across. What do you exactly mean by “if we play this right”. Do you mean: "if the USA can sell it as “Al Qaeda only” ? Sorry, but nobody is so stupid to buy this. > [@](#): > > And yes, I emphasized “all” to show that indeed, I didn’t think that all of the Arab world harbored sympathies for Qaeda. Coming from someone who regularly complains that I’m unclear in my posts… This can count. > [@](#): > > I think that those who do hold such sympathies think that they’re acting in the best interests of Arabs at large. Well, I think first of all that those who sympathise with AQ don’t even think about “the best interest of Arabs at large”. They think about their own personal problems and their own society and country and what goes wrong there. > [@](#): > > However, if could be shown that Qaeda was acting for their own edification rather than out of altruistic motivations then I believe that those who have esteem for them would be turned off to them. That is what the USA tries to do by blaming everything possible that explodes somewhere where it shouldn’t explode on AQ even before some ducious untracable “claim” for that is made. It has however the opposite effect in the sense that now about everyone who wants to make something (or someone) explode where there is no call for it, holds up the AQ umbrella as tool for the more honour and glory. Maybe in the long term this is going to have a negative effect on the image of AQ. Yet that isn’t going to solve the problem of exploding devices (and persons) where they are not expected or invited to explode. Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/92 "2003-12-14T22:19:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\*Actually, as I think about this more, **DtC** is at least being consistent in his views. Many posters in GD have called the Iraq war “illegal”. If it was in fact illegal, then the occupation of Iraq is illegal, and the arrest of Saddam was also illegal. Anyone holding that view (ie, that the war was illegal) must logically then support the immediate release of Saddam Hussein, no? Is there anyone who claimed the war was illegal who does not agree with that assesment? If so, I’d be interested in hearing the justification. \*\* You could read my topic that is moved to the “pointless stuff” board and then come back here to ask how I justify that. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=229224](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=229224) Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/93 "2003-12-14T22:47:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Dignan_ -\*\* > Aldebaran, give it up already. It is not everyone’s goal in life to upset you.\*\* We think of it more as a side-benefit. Although the fact that the capture of Saddam Hussein seems to have upset you is more informative about your attitudes and sympathies than perhaps you might have wished. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Aldebaran_ -\*\* > It has however the opposite effect in the sense that now about everyone who wants to make something (or someone) explode where there is no call for it, holds up the AQ umbrella as tool for the more honour and glory.\*\* What is this supposed to mean? Holding up an umbrella causes things to unnecessarily explode? > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Aldebaran_ -\*\* > Maybe in the long term this is going to have a negative effect on the image of AQ.\*\* Their _image_? Do you honestly think they are worried about bad PR? > [@](#): > > ## _Originally posted by Aldebaran_ -\*\* quote: > > ## And yes, I emphasized “all” to show that indeed, I didn’t think that all of the Arab world harbored sympathies for Qaeda. > > Coming from someone who regularly complains that I’m unclear in my posts… This can count.\*\* Count as what? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Milum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Milum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milum)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/94 "2003-12-14T23:06:56Z")
**Saddam captured: Now what?** Depends on your outlook… \*\* Left wingers, socialists, and Bushbangers on this board\*\*: Saddam’s arrest was illegal; he was not read his Miranda Rights. He should immediatly be returned the $750,000 that was illegally taken from him by the illegal Americans and then be legally released back into his quaint native village and allowed to live out the rest of his life in peace surrounded by the quaint multi-culturalism of his own choice. \*\* George W Bush and me and almost forty million American voters\*\*: (Singing in unison. Happily) \*\* _I’m back in the saddle again, Oode la de hoo, Oode la de hoo, Oo de la dee…_\*\* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/95 "2003-12-14T23:09:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*Good news, but let’s not get euphoric. I don’t think that complicated situations end over a single event. Our Civil War is still not really finished. > > The Arab-Israeli thing is still there. Al Qaeda, etc. are still plotting. Their financial support seems to be still functioning. Iraq is still a cobbled-together entity, left over from the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 for crissake. > > We need to keep our eye on the main goal of ending terrorist activities, or at least ameliorating them. That has a lot more to do with removing the causes than with merely treating the symptoms. > > One exceedingly short step in a road that probably stretches far, far into the future. Get back to me with the results in 2100 or so. \*\* Ahhhh… good **Mr Simmons**! This is exactly what I like about your posts. Magnanimous, but tempered with wisdom. I offer no disrespect your way whatsoever, but one of the GREAT things I like about your posts is that well, you’re old enough now to have seen it all - and very little is new “under the sun” as a result. Yes, I agree entirely with you. The true solution to “terrorist activity” is to do away with the causes. It’s no accident that places like Indonesia and Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are regions which breed so much terrorist activity. They have very high unemployment rates, and there is much corruption and cronyism. Perfect environments for breeding a sense of institutionalised despair. I just wish that people such as yourself **Mr Simmons** were quoted more frequently. Most people tend to comment upon 9/11 for example as though it came out of nowhere - when in reality the seeds of acrimony were sowed at least as long as 35 years in the build up to the Black September movement and the storming of the Munich Olympics etc. In that time, the lives of millions of people in those regions have only gotten worse. Hence, it’s taken at least 2 generations for the situation we’ve got today to turn out the way it has - and logically, it’s going to take at least another 2 generations to put things right. And not the least of those “things” is raising the literacy rates, and quality of lifestyle of millions of people in the world’s shitholes. It’s in all of our interests to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/96 "2003-12-14T23:23:53Z")
**RTFirefly** : I had no idea such a resolution had been passed. Thank you. I still think the US should turn Hussein over to the Iraqis. The Iraqi people are the ones who deserve to extract justice here. I’d hate to see this turn into a US run show trial for the aggrandizement of Bush. To those who brought up Nuremburg. I don’t see how it’s applicable. The occupation of Germany after WWII was not the result of an illegal act of aggression. I also don’t really think this is going to be all that significant of a development in the long run. It’s nice for the Iraqis and it’s good propaganda for Bush but Hussein was no longer any kind of a player in this war anyway (and fantasies about him spilling info on WMDs are just that…they don’t exist and there’s nothing to spill…not that it would justify the invasion even he _did_ spill). The insurgency will continue unabated and perhaps with renewed vigor. This is really more of a PR event than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/97 "2003-12-14T23:38:20Z")
**John** , the end of even an illegal war is a **good thing**. Anything, within reason, that hastens that is a **good thing**. Saddam’s capture removes an obstacle to the stabilization of Iraq. That makes it a **good thing** , regardless of the legality of the war. Is that simple enough for you? ---
**Author:** ![deadeyesdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@deadeyesdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadeyesdad)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/98 "2003-12-14T23:46:14Z")
Hey all this worrying about what the Iraqis would possibly do? There is no way in hell that the Iranians and Kuwaitis let this guy stay alive 10 minutes after they get him. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/99 "2003-12-15T00:10:48Z")
The question we should be asking now is, why isn’t the United States spending as much effort at getting Osama Bin Laden (you know, the guy who was actually _responsible_ for those nasty 9/11 attacks) as they did for Saddam, especially considering that Saddam _wasn’t_ a dire and imminent threat to the US? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931/100 "2003-12-15T00:16:40Z")
ATTENTION AMERICANS! Yes, Saddam has been captured. Yes, this is A Good Thing. But please… don’t use it as an excuse to go and re-elect Bush. Please, just promise the world that one little thing? Surely it’s not beyond the USA to come up with a president that has just a teensy bit of environmental and social conscience? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddam-captured-what-now/218931.md?page=6)