I don't get it

The aftermath of Saddam Hussein's trial continues...

I read an article yesterday about the trial of Saddam's associates with regards to the Kurdish gassings that took place whilst he was leader - around 100,000 may have died during this particularly horrific campaign.

According to the article all charges against Saddam were dropped, which has me rather stumped.

The proceedings - on Monday local time - began with the judge officially dismissing all charges against the dead president, including genocide, in relation to the Anfal campaign against the Kurds in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

Article here

Why would the charges be dropped?

Of course the answer would have to have something to do with the fact the defendant has just been butchered.

And those whom have read about such events in Iraq's darker days will know that if Saddam had been taken to account for this crime and many others the support of the West (US et al) at the time would have been called into question, possibly the defence would have called such people as Rumsfeld to the witness stand, which would be very embarrassing to the USA, to put it mildly.

I assume we won't be hearing much about this trial for from my perspective this simply further reinforces the notion of the whole sorry affair being a kangaroo court, a show trial and a ugly act of vengence. Which is not what our media likes us to think.

Is it me or does the whole sorry saga of US imperialism seem to be falling apart.

In such a few short years the Bush regime has shown the world just how evil the US is. Worse the US public and the so called opposition (Democrats) have responded by only showing their concern for the Americans trapped in the conflicts their leaders have comitted them to. There is more to having a foreign policy that simply focusing on your own.

I see plenty of reports at the outrage at US deaths and the increasing calls of bringing the 'boys home', yet little is written on the plight of the people that have had to suffer the most, except often as an afterthought.

How long do we have to wait before the mainstream start to ask the most obvious questions?

How long before people in the US stop trying to shift the blame on the Iraqis and start to actually do something that might help this nation that they were once so prepared to 'save'.

How long before countries like mine start to actually stand up and ask the much needed to be asked questions in the international forums?

Its one thing not to have been one of the Coalition of the Willing and all that crap, but surely as a nation that prides itself on our foreign relations we should step up and say something.

Is the price of our silence worth some export dollars and potential US favouritism in the future?

Seems to me we westerners have the option of either doing something real soon about making our planet a much safer and nicer place to live for all (lead from the front) or we face a really nasty violent period in the not too distant future, a period that potentially will make the wholesale slaughter of the second world war look quite civil.

Man I've too much time on my hands, I should be drinking and falling over not reading and writting about such things as this so early in the year.... and then its hard to stick ones head in the sand with the knowledge that tens of thousands of people are destined to die this year for the simple fact that dickheads rule certain lands.

Theres a lot to be said for apathy and ignorance and fuck all for trying to be informed when one considers the mulitiple diversions and fun one can have due to the luxury of our place in the world.

is it 2008 yet?