Saddam Hussein // Current TV

Underground Torture Cells are the Rule Rather than the Exception

At least one middle eastern country has the courage to admit to ‘countless... more

jahbini
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Top American Imam Hassan Qazwini: Humans should respect environment and not hunt for pleasure

The Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative promotes interfaith environment projects and... more

Yoopernewsman
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2004 Colin Powell Interview by Sir Trevor McDonald

Interview Excerpt: MR. MCDONALD: Mr. Secretary, sir, let me take you back just... more

jkw077
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Buyers boycott Saddam yacht

PARIS (Reuters) - The sale of a luxury yacht once owned by former dictator Saddam... more

riffhard98
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Saddam's luxury yacht on sale

The Iraqi government is planning to sell Saddam Hussein's 82-metre luxury yacht.... more

nazbags
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Saddam Hussein’s body was stabbed in the back, says guard after his death

The body of Saddam Hussein was stabbed six times after he was executed, according to the head guard at the former president’s tomb north of Baghdad, who was one of the people that helped bury the corpse.

The claim is categorically denied by the head of Saddam’s tribe. The Iraqi Government similarly denies any mutilation took place after the dictator was hanged on December 30, 2006, for crimes against humanity.

Talal Misrab, 45, is the chief guard at Saddam’s tomb, housed in a large hall in al-Awja, a small village north of Baghdad, where the fallen dictator spent much of his childhood.

In an interview with The Times, he claimed: “There were six stab wounds on his body.” Mr Misrab alleged that four of the wounds were on the former president’s front and two on his back. He also said there was an injury to his face.

The guard alleged that 300 other people witnessed the injuries when the body was buried in the early hours of the morning, the day after Saddam was killed.

Another tribesman said he had been told by Sheikh Ali al-Neda, the former head of Saddam’s tribe, who has since also died, that the body had stab wounds.

Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s security advisor, denied the allegation.

“I oversaw the whole process from A-Z and Saddam Hussein’s body was not, not stabbed or mutilated and he was not humiliated before execution,” he said.

Sheikh Hasan al-Neda, who is now leader of Saddam’s tribe, also dismissed the suggestion that anyone had interfered with the corpse.

“I swear by God his body was totally intact except for a bruise on his cheek,” Mr al-Neda said. “When we received the body in Baghdad, we were told that they [the Iraqi authorities] washed and wrapped it according to Islamic traditions, but we still washed him again here in Tikrit.”

He continued: “My son Ahmed was there and he told a Saudi newspaper that the body was not mutilated in any way.”

The circumstances of Saddam’s death are not in dispute, however. His execution triggered international outrage after leaked video footage revealed that he was taunted by guards who chanted Shia Muslim slogans as the noose was placed around his neck on the gallows.

Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister, told The Times last month that he regretted the way in which the sentence was carried out. He added: “Those who chanted were punished. There was no major violation apart from the chanting.” The body of Saddam Hussein was stabbed six times after he was executed, according to... more

TravG73
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Inside Iraq's mental health system

Al Rashad Hospital is Iraq's only treatment facility for severe psychiatric... more

nazbags
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Top U.S. Imam Hassan Qazwini: World's religions, humans have lots in common, few differences

The Michigan Earth Keeper Initiative and the Earth Healing Initiative promote... more

Yoopernewsman
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Iraq Nuked

The historical background of western interference, especially US and UK, in Iraq, and... more

Vierotchka
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McCain transition chief aided Saddam in lobbying effort

William Timmons, the Washington lobbyist who John McCain has named to head his... more

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Debate Over Terrorist Links Video

The Debate over American Intelligence in Iraq is questioned, reminding us that the... more

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zeitgeist movie, part II - addendum

posted online today october 3rd... more

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INCA PICTURES's ARE WE STILL THE UGLY AMERICAN? Wins Accolade Competition

Los Angeles, CA September 30 2008 - Cheyenne Quintanar and Marco Aguilar, of INCA PICTURES, have won a prestigious Honorable Mention from The Accolade Competition. The award was given for Cheyenne Quintanar and Marco Aguilar's exciting political and social documentary ARE WE STILL THE UGLY AMERICAN? Which goes abroad and gives voice to people in other countries of the world to weigh in on US foreign policy, the Bush administration, the US invasion of Iraq, and the rise of anti-Americanism.

ARE WE STILL THE UGLY AMERICAN? features exceptional interviews from KRS-ONE, known as one of the most nfluential and philosophical emcees in hip-hop of our time. KRS-ONE has written three books, produced 15 albums, lectured at over 500 universities, been honored by the United Nations, VH1, and Billboard magazine, and has been recognized by prestigious schools such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Oxford. One of his most controversial views is that as a citizen of America, he is the Terrorist to someone else in the world.

ARE WE STILL THE UGLY AMERICAN? also features Amy Goodman, an award winning journalist, author, and host of Pacifica Radio's Democracy Now! Amy has won numerous awards for her documentary and journalism pieces, including a Robert F. Kennedy award for journalism and a George Polk award for her documentary coverage of Chevron Oil Corporation's role in the Niger Delta.She has written three books, one of which was on the New York Times bestseller list, and she is a sought after speaker. Democracy Now! is one of the most internationally syndicated programs in broadcast history today, and they continue to grow in syndication.

ARE WE STILL THE UGLY AMERICAN? affords the audience to get perspectives from everyday people from around the world about their feelings and views regarding The United States policies domestic and international, and their attitude via their actions around the world.

"Working on this project for three years and winning the Accolade film festival makes you feel like your work and the passion that you put into a subject matter, such as this, is all worth it, and that someone else gets it! Even though I have seen clips of my film numerous times while editing, when I sit down to watch it in full, I am still very emotionally moved. It gets your blood pumping, and it makes you wanna do something, you want to help change the world." - Marco Aguilar, One of the Directors, Producers, Writers and Editors of ARE WE STILL THE UGY AMERICAN?

The Accolade recognizes film, television and videography professionals, who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry. Information about The Accolade and a list of recent winners can be found at www.theaccolade.net.

In winning an Accolade, INCA PICTURES and their directors, writers, producers; Marco Aguilar and Cheyenne Quintanar join the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award. Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs The Accolade, has this to say about the latest winners, "The Accolade is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world. The Accolade helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were please with the exceptionally high quality of entries. The goal for The Accolade is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve."

For more information call Cheyenne Quintanar at 818-943-5743 or visit INCA PICTURES at www.incapictures.com.

Los Angeles, CA September 30 2008 - Cheyenne Quintanar and Marco Aguilar, of INCA... more

Cheyenneq
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Iraq seeks World Heritage status for restored marshlands

The United Nations on Friday launched a bid to designate Iraq's famed marshlands, which were ravaged by Saddam Hussein, a World Heritage site after a four-year restoration project.

The swampy southern region is believed by some to be the inspiration for the biblical Garden of Eden. Saddam drained the marshlands after the end of the first Gulf War to punish Iraq's Shiite majority for an uprising.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) wrapped up a four-year project funded by Japan and Italy that restored more than half of the marshlands. Iraqi authorities took over plans for further rehabilitation.

Attending a final meeting on the project in Kyoto, Japan, UNEP chief Achim Steiner said the agency would work with UNESCO, the UN's cultural body, to list the marshlands as a World Heritage site.

Narmin Othman, Iraq's environment minister, said her government also planned to make the marshlands a national park, according to a UNEP statement.

"Because of what Saddam Hussein did, the marshlands were in danger of completely disappearing, as was the centuries-old culture of the Marsh Arabs," Othman said, according to the statement.

"It had become an ecological but also a human tragedy," she said.

Italy has agreed to fund the effort to list the marshlands as a World Heritage site, which would entail drafting plans to ensure the area's preservation, UNEP spokesman Nick Nuttall said.

The last available satellite images showed that around 58 percent of the marshlands had been restored.

The marshlands stretched across some 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles) in the 1970s. Most residents are Shiite Muslims, who form the majority in Iraq but were marginalised until the US-led invasion overthrew Saddam in 2003

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Declaring the marshlands of Mesopotamia a World Heritage site will allow them to be preserved for future generations.This is truly remarkable in that only a couple of years ago it did not look good for the marshlands to be restored. However, with Iraq in the throse of a severe drought with Iraq also concerned over dams being built in Turkey that will divert water from the Tigris and Euphatres rivers, we will have to see if the UN can make this happen. For me on the one hand it is wonderful because it will protect a diversified ecosystem and also bring a truly human and environmental tragedy full circle. On the other hand, having people unable to farm due to drought and diversion of water from dams makes it a hard decision to make on a moral level. But perhaps it would be better to designate it as a World Heritage site to keep it as part of the rich history of Iraq and in the hands of Iraq, rather than other interests looking to loot it for its diversity and resources. It will be good to see the Iraqi people have something of beauty and diversity to take pride in amongst the turmoil of these past years.The United Nations on Friday launched a bid to designate Iraq's famed marshlands,... more