Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has told his trial in Baghdad that he alone should be made to answer for the actions of his regime.

In a dramatic development at the end of a second straight day of prosecution evidence, he said the court should stop accusing others.

 

Earlier, he admitted razing the farms of those convicted of trying to kill him in Dujail in 1982.

 

...

 

Saddam Hussein urged the court to free his fellow defendants, saying: "At the time I was in charge. It is not my habit to pass the buck on to others."

 

full story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4763228.stm

 

Wow. Where did this come from?

 

Wow.  Where did this come from?

 

the onion?

Wait a minute, it's March 1st, not April 1st. . .

Perhaps Saddam is confessing now because he knows the prosecution has introduced their 'smoking gun--' a supposed signature of Saddam's on a paper ordering the execution of prisoners. Several were pre-teen in age. The LEAST he can do is appear sympathetic and willing to shoulder the bourden of mass atrocities.

 

Who knows how these Iraqi jury members will react. If the case was in California, his sympathy would have been enough to cast reasonable doubt. He'd be a free man, golfing with O.J. Simpson, Robert Blake, and Michael Jackson.

Saddam has had moments of lucidity, and moments of insanity during this trial. This must be one of his down days.

Just remember, the argument "I was ordered to do it" failed quite spectacularly at Nuremberg, whether or not the defendants were actually ordered to do it.