Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Hussein Starts Hunger Strike

In what is apparently intended to be an act of defiance, Iraq's deposed dictator has announced that he and his fellow defendants are now on a hunger strike. Hussein alleges that he has not eaten in three days, and Barzan Ibrahim, his former chief of intelligence, has not eaten in the past two days. (Scotsman: Saddam and co-defendants start hunger strike).

For some odd reason, investigative judge Raid Juhi is looking into the claims that the defendants have willingly stopped eating. "This is an administrative problem that the court is working to verify, and it will work also to solve it ... with the responsible parties in the custodial authorities," he told reporters yesterday.

Why? If Hussein chooses to hold his breath until he turns blue, then let him. I've never understood the concept of a hunger strike in the first place. Is it supposed to garner sympathy for the accused? Not here, it doesn't! The only reason I would care at all is to make sure we monitor his weight. We do need to ensure there's enough tension on the rope when we hang him.

This is the same absurd tactic employed by a handful of terrorists being held at Camp X-Ray. We're force feeding them - again, for some unknown reason - and naturally the human rights groups scream prisoner abuse. In my view, if they go on a hunger strike, oblige them. Stop sending them food. It serves two purposes in the long run. It reduces the cost of housing them and it brings an end to their problem that much quicker.

One would think that the concept of a hunger strike would be outgrown by, oh, about the age of five. Isn't that around the age that small children finally learn the futility of temper tantrums? Of course, temper tantrums have been the hallmark of Hussein throughout his "trial". This court could learn a valuable lesson from U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema, presiding over the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. After an outburst yesterday, Brinkema had Moussaoui removed and ordered him confined to a cell with closed circuit TV where he can monitor the rest of the proceedings and hold his tantrums in private. The same technique would work very well with Hussein, although some would argue that it's cruel and unusual punishment to deprive Hussein of a captive audience for his sideshow.

In the meantime, I'll raise an ale and toast the new Hussein diet. It sounds like an effective way to reduce our war costs and rid the world of a tyrant all at the same time.

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