Saddam arrested?

[Lord of Alcohol]

bump

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Link: [QB}...is it verified that it actually is Saddam Hussein? [/QB]

They did DNA test to confirm his ID before this was released. On the video you can see the medical crew taking, what seems to be, a DNA swab.

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Lord of Alcohol: bump

I not only agree with what you are trying to say, but I also agree with the way you said it.

Originally posted by Ziroc: First the Economy hits 8.5, then the Dow hits 10,000 and now Saddam is captured. Bush just won re-election folks. WHAT A GREAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT for the administration! Wow! Dizzy, how is the reaction and morale NOW? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[edit: tone changed]

ziroc, i believe you are repeating a number of misconceptions about the figures you quote in order to support a popular conclusion.

8.5% GDP growth is completely meaningless. GDP is a measure of expenditures, not positive contributions to society or the world at large. in this case, the figure is inflated by gross spending by the US govt specifically related to the war in iraq, which has notably put the US deficit to the highest levels it has ever been.

the dow is a measure of the total value of money invested in the stock market. the paper value is non-existent, as the value will change as money is withdrawn. more to the point - how many of us have any significant investment in stocks? who is really benefitting from a strong stock market? as someone pointed out in another thread, if the economy is so much better, how come people are still losing jobs and families cant afford any more than they could 12 months ago?

and regarding saddam, consider taht the country with the biggest armed services and economy in the world beat up a two-bit middle eastern dictator. this is the diplomatic equivalent of stealing candy from a baby. if anything, it was an embarassment that the guy managed to hide himself away for so long and that the US occupation continues to be marred by resistance and deaths of US soldiers.

w. may win re-election, but it will only be because people refuse to get more educated on the very "facts" the administration continually repeats.

[ 12-14-2003, 11:28 PM: Message edited by: sultan ]

[Timber Loftis]

Sultan, I disagree re the Dow, etc. -- they are good market indicators, if only because they are perceived as such -- i.e. encourage investment. Dow 10K was, for me, a major indicator of a bounce-back.

Sultan, I disagree re capturing Saddam being a cakewalk. He was very protected, and capturing someone with dozens of dozens of hideouts in an unfriendly country is never easy. Toppling the regime was easy, but catching the man was not, nor could it ever have been.

Wellard, I disagree. From the "wrongful acts" stuff you mentioned, yeah we bring a now-powerless guy to justice. Big deal in relation to our goals -- not. I outlined the pieces of evidence he may have, and stand by it. As far as encouraging the counter-USA efforts, I mentioned this in my list. It will encourage some who feared regime return to now take sides -- as to what those sides may be... It's a toss-up. [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

As for any control he had over the counter-USA efforts, it was nil. He had no communication devices on or near him. the military believes the #6 most wanted guy, the King of CLubs, Saddam's old security minister, to be controlling the Baathist counter efforts. And, there are more than 1 counter-USA groups out there right now.

As for my outline of the possible good things to ensue from the arrest (originally posted elsewhwere), they are:
1. Possible info of WMDs and where they may have gone
2. Will encourage those afraid of regime return to now be more vocal
3. (long shot) info on Bin Laden/ Al Queda

[ 12-15-2003, 12:33 AM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Sultan, I disagree re the Dow, etc. -- they are good market indicators, if only because they are perceived as such -- i.e. encourage investment. Dow 10K was, for me, a major indicator of a bounce-back.

that same logic would imply the dow is a bad market indicator when it goes down because it discourages investment.

logical fallacy aside, are you suggesting that encouraging investment is a de facto good thing? this echoes of the trickle down economic policies that led to the 1987 stock market "correction"

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Sultan, I disagree re capturing Saddam being a cakewalk. He was very protected, and capturing someone with dozens of dozens of hideouts in an unfriendly country is never easy. Toppling the regime was easy, but catching the man was not, nor could it ever have been.

sorry, i was unclear. it's not the capturing of saddam that i was suggesting was stealing candy from a baby, but rather the whole iraq campaign in the first place. in that sense, we're in agreement.

the capturing of saddam is a decoration on a cake that should never have been baked, and as such, is only of relevance as a propaganda device. it's like showing off pictures of the crying baby after you stolen the candy from him and shouting "look what i did!"

[LordKathen]

Well, I for one think that whatever the reason for going to war, being in war, continuing war, etc., an evil man is done, period. History will see that. All the politics are just that, politics. The casualties of this war are now closer to not dyeing in vain. At least thats how I see it.

[WillowIX]

Well put him on trial for his human rights violation. Now has any information leaked out on where he is supposed to be put to trial? Iraq? USA? UN war tribunal? Let's hope it's not one of the first two at least.

Now would perhaps be a good time to silently indicate that the job in Iraq is done. It may not be all that true but it certainly would increase the chance of the Iraqis to join up behind their new government. If the situation doesn't improve there's always the chance that Saddam will be proclaimed a martyr.

[johnny]

The job is far from done. Apparently there have been a number of suicide bombings again this morning, in which 9 people were killed. Nothing has changed, perhaps the number of attacks will only increase because of this.

There's only one important job left to be done, and that is hand over power to the Iraqi's, and get the hell out of that place.

[Megabot]

How can they "hand over the power to the Iraqi's" when they dont have any politicans there? all politicans was forbidden when Saddam was in charge for years so i think it must be given some time before they can give the charge of the country to the Iraqi's them self