Glitterati - Litterati

I read somewhere that the trial was not really serving it's purpose in indicting Saddam, rather it was giving him a platform for stoking the insurgency in Iraq. Whoever wrote that article had done some brilliant thinking. I wouldn't want to comment on the trial serving it's purpose, because I myself don't believe in the validity of the court being set up. But one thing is clearly evident. Saddam is making full use of the limited oppurtunity he is being provided with.

He's playing the role of a perfect victim - a just ruler who has been dealt injustice. His emotional outbursts show that he's the victim who is traumatised. He garners sympathy, when he talks about the torture that he is undergoing. At the same time, he maintains his dignity by not totally breaking down. When he lambasts the opposition he shows that his pride is still intact, that he will fight against the injustice. At every moment of the trial, Saddam stays in control, even when he displays his emotions, his frustration and his anger. In the last session, he even requested for a prayer break from the court, in the middle of the trial. As the world looked on, he kneeled down and dutifully offered his namaz. That should have had a great impact on his millions of devout followers.

The picture that he portrays is that of a just, dignified, god-fearing ruler who has been wrongly forced to give up his kingdom, while the invaders try to trap him in false cases (or cases in which he had acted rightfully) and although he has no powers left, he'll fight them till the end and he believes God is on his side.

In reality, Saddam's regime was far from a perfect regime. He has committed (or authorized) the most atrocious crimes possible. But unfortunately, right now, he is stoking the insurgency in Iraq almost as efficiently as he would have, if he had been free.

He provides more motivation to his supporters than Bush/Rumsfield provide to their Marines. And wars are not won by technological superiority - they are won by motivated fighters. An Iraqi insurgent is fighting for his country, for his independence, for his religion and will not hesitate to give up his life, for claiming the lives of a few more from the enemy. But a US Marine is not fighting for any high ideals. He is there in Iraq, because he has been sent there. He may or may not agree with the logic behind the necessity of the Iraqi regime change. He hardly has any motivations to fight - other than to survive, so that he can go home safely.

In the current situation, there's hardly anything that the US can do to stop Saddam. They are caught in their own trap. They cannot spot broadcasting the trial proceedings, as that will raise a large hue and cry. So they need to come up with some fresh ideas. Meanwhile, let's hope that Iraq does not turn out to be the next Vietnam.