Upon learning of the conviction of Saddam Hussein on Sunday for premeditated murder and other offenses in the al-Dujail case, Congressman Becerra released the following statement:
“I commend the Iraqi people for bringing Saddam Hussein to justice in the context of a sovereign Iraqi court of law. The court’s fidelity to the principles of due process and a fair trial in the face of constant violence and disruption is truly heroic.
While Saddam Hussein’s conviction and sentencing for crimes committed against his own people in the 1980s was expected, the violent chaos that continues to plague Iraq was not. The conviction of Saddam Hussein, three years after his capture, was announced amid an atmosphere of sectarian violence and hatred, not national unity and progress.
Instead of marking the end of an era of terror, Saddam’s conviction is a solitary event in a country wracked by violence and instability. It remains to be seen whether this sole instance of justice will have any effect in ending the sectarian strife that now engulfs Iraq. Unfortunately, the just verdict in this case does not change the fact that the war in Iraq is making the American people less safe, and has unjustly destroyed the lives of so many Iraqis. It is unfortunate that such good news comes at such a grim time in Iraq’s history.”
# # # Becerra.House.gov # # #