November 14, 2005

Mass Exodus

The Guardian:

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - Some 1,100 Iraqi lawyers have withdrawn from Saddam Hussein's defense team, citing insufficient protection following the slayings of two peers representing co-defendants of the ousted Iraqi leader.

A few questions spring immediately to mind:

If 1100 have withdrawn, how many are left?

How bad does business have to be for an Iraqi attorney to have to take the Saddam gig? (yes, I know the rule of law in Iraq is still a budding enterprise, with a few kinks still to be worked out of it)

Why would the defense team want any more delays? They will be judged to have done an adequate job if they just show up. Wouldn't they want to get it over with?

Justice being served, and Saddam having a competent defense team at trial, are not really related issues, it seems to me.

Posted by dan at November 14, 2005 1:56 AM