The Saddam Hussein war crimes trial is getting out of hand.
The courtroom scene Sunday was a bit chaotic to say the least, resulting in a five-day postponement because of Saddam's and other defendants' fanatical outbursts.
All four lead defendants (later including Saddam) were removed from the courtroom and the defense team walked out in protest, leaving the trial to proceed. The court then appointed for the remaining defendants temporary defense lawyers, who were notably silent during the rest of the trial.
Is this really fair?
Trying to build a democracy in Iraq is the prime issue concerning the United States at this juncture. An example has to be set for the judicial system of Iraq. An unruly and combative Saddam doesn't make matters any better, but he needs to be tried fairly, like anyone else.
Saddam's lawyers now want the trial moved out of Iraq in order to maintain fairness.
If the United Nations were to take over the trial, the same argument about an unfair trial could be made. In the end, Iraqis should be the ones to try their former dictator in his former empire. It would even be insulting to take that opportunity away — like saying Iraq is incapable of fundamental, democratic judicial processes.
But since the military tribunal proceedings began on Oct. 19, the former Iraqi dictator has been extremely difficult to contend with. Nothing is getting accomplished in bringing the disgraced dictator to justice due to delays and postponements.
Things such as recesses, defense lawyers being killed and outbursts.
Saddam and his appointed defense team shed negative light on the military tribunal as a "show trial" rather than a trial concerning the heinous massacre of thousands of innocent Shiite civilians.
The tribunal needs to find a more suitable way to quell the Iraqi defendants without always having to remove them from the courtroom. A rule of order must be established.
There can be other ways to go about this. Saddam and other defendants could be shown via streaming video in their cells while court is in order.
If any of them get testy or unruly, there's always the mute button.
