Foreign policy

[Jurriaan Bendien <bendien@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Saddam Hussein should be trialed in Iraq, said Minister Bot of Foreign
Affairs on Sunday, in response to the arrest of the former dictator.
Trialing by an international tribunal would give a wrong signal towards
Iraq. Iraqi's had indicated that they want to handle things themselves, said
the Minister. "By trialing in Iraq we can show that we have confidence in
the independent ability of Iraqi's."   In Iraq there is now a purge
happening, said Bot, creating an opportunity for accounting for the past. A
trial in their own land fits with this. The arrest of Saddam would
accelerate the political development of Iraq, the Minister expected. "It
takes away a shadow which surrounded Iraq. So long as he had not been
captured, his supporters continued to be preoccupied to clear the path for
his return". Bot estimated that the number of attacks will now decrease, but
warns that it will not be love and peace in Iraq for a long time. He fears
that other groups will continue the terrorist struggle.
He thinks that the role of the Dutch military in South Iraq will only become
more important now. Now that the country can navigate quieter waters, their
contribution to stability would gain more leverage. "I am very optimistic
about it." Bot heard about the arrest of Saddam via CNN. That the US did not
notify him personally was something he considered "not such a problem",
despite the presence of Dutch troops in Iraq. (...) Parlementarian Van der
Laan (Progressive Liberals) thinks that the psychological effect of Saddam's
arrest could be very great. "The myth of dying rather than surrendering to
the Americans is now pricked through. I hope that the images of his arrest
will be seen throughout Iraq so that everybody  can see that it's just a
crazy old man." She expects local leaders who are still afraid for the
erstwhile dictator will dare to choose the side of reconstruction. But the
Dutch military must remain guarded. "It isn't Disneyland over there all of a
sudden. It remains a very dangerous area."

http://www.volkskrant.nl/denhaag/1071388885137.html

Clark insisted his early release as Supreme NATO Commander of the Allied
Forces by Clinton Defense Secretary William Cohen was not a firing. "I was
suddenly called and told I would have to give up command early. I was told
at the time I was not being fired. I was told at the time it was just an
administrative matter," he said. Clark said Pentagon brass did not like his
urgent calls to prevent the ethnic cleansing of 1.5 million Albanians in the
province of Kosovo under former President Slobodan Milosovic. "Frankly, I
was told to mind my own business, that they were too busy in the Pentagon
dealing with Congress to hear any commander in the field report there might
be problems coming. That's not adequate," Clark said.

Source: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?sub=909