IN BETWEEN HIS defiant court appearances, Saddam Hussein sits in a cell, probably eating a bag of Doritos. He also enjoys Cheetos and Raisin Bran Crunch, at least according to the Pennsylvania National Guardsmen once assigned to him and recently interviewed by Lisa DePaulo for GQ. And despite his being heavily guarded and under constant observation, he seems to have adjusted quite nicely to his new surroundings.
"All his drinks, from milk to water to orange juice, had to be room temperature," writes DePaulo. "He wouldn't eat beef but seemed to like fish and chicken. Salads were acceptable, but only if they came with Italian dressing,"which he used to marinate his olives. The guards say at times Saddam would be "singing and dancing a jig, clapping his hands, stomping his feet."
He might as well enjoy it now, for as his trial resumes, Saddam will have to address more serious issues, such as the charge of crimes against humanity. To date, lawyers have formally charged Hussein with responsibility for just one massacre, in the Shiite village of Dujail, dating from 1982 and totaling 143 deaths. But as sources told the Washington Post's Andy Mosher, "the limited scope of the Dujail massacre made it easier to investigate, producing a less complex case than other alleged crimes." Whether he is found guilty of murdering a few hundred or tens of thousands, the penalty undoubtedly will be death.
Read Full Article »