# what kinds of "criminals" did Hussein release? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-criminals-did-hussein-release/203097 "2003-09-22T14:43:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-criminals-did-hussein-release/203097/1 "2003-09-22T14:43:52Z")
In a recent Rumsfeld spin, we are told that one reason that the invasion has been less than successful is that we didn’t count on Saddam “releasing 100,000 criminals by opening up the jails.” I am of the impression that in pre-invasion Iraq, people were jailed for “crimes” such as questioning government policy. If their transgressions were much more serious than that, they may have lost ears, hands, or lives. So, what’s a reasonable guess as to how dangerous the prisoners that Saddam released were or are to American troops? ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-criminals-did-hussein-release/203097/2 "2003-09-25T13:30:32Z")
Or, where, if not the SDMB, would a citizen be able to get some actual information on the nature of the crimes and the prisoners that were in Iraqi jails? ---
**Author:** ![curwin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kinds-of-criminals-did-hussein-release/203097/3 "2003-09-25T15:55:05Z")
This article mentions one case: [http://uk.news.yahoo.com/030826/323/e6x9k.html](http://uk.news.yahoo.com/030826/323/e6x9k.html)