> Naum, I happen to be a former resident of Kuwait and originally a
> Palestinian (Canadian citizen), and I will tell you Saddam Hussein is
> liked by certain Iraqis who benefit from privileges, but the majority of
> Iraqis silently despise him.  The Iraqis I have met despise him and as far
> as the protests they are organized by the government.  Many Iraqis
> privately curse Saddam.  Saddam has also killed some of his own relatives.
> Saddam is corrupt.  Just because people are clapping for Saddam does not
> mean the people have Democracy, like him.  That is false.  You said your
> father lived in Iraq.  Ask him about the mass execution of the Communists
> in Iraq.  There is only one political party allowed to exist in Iraq, so
> do not tell me about people liking Saddam.

> Basil

> Basil Keilani <b_ke...@alcor.concordia.ca> wrote in message
> news:Pine.OSF.4.10.9903301702590.15094-100000@alcor.concordia.ca...

> > Naum, I happen to be a former resident of Kuwait and originally a
> > Palestinian (Canadian citizen), and I will tell you Saddam Hussein is
> > liked by certain Iraqis who benefit from privileges, but the majority of
> > Iraqis silently despise him.  The Iraqis I have met despise him and as far
> > as the protests they are organized by the government.  Many Iraqis
> > privately curse Saddam.  Saddam has also killed some of his own relatives.
> > Saddam is corrupt.  Just because people are clapping for Saddam does not
> > mean the people have Democracy, like him.  That is false.  You said your
> > father lived in Iraq.  Ask him about the mass execution of the Communists
> > in Iraq.  There is only one political party allowed to exist in Iraq, so
> > do not tell me about people liking Saddam.

> > Basil

> Basil Naum and all,
>     We can't take a vote currently in Iraq, so I don't think this argument
> will be solved for a long time, if at all.  I'd be interested to know if
> Iraqis and what portion of them support Saddam Hussein, but  I think that
> people see things differently, and so I'll really never know.  I could go
> there, and that would be the closest to knowing that I'd ever get.  I do
> know however that Saddam has lots of Shiites to deal with.  I don't think
> many Shiites like him from what I've heard.  Shiites make up either 60 or 70
> percent of the Iraqi population.  So maybe it's not a majority.  What I'd
> like to know is how did the elections take place in Iraq.  I mean how were
> they setup, and all of that.  Anyone know?  Well that's my view.
>             Vicki

> On Thu, 1 Apr 1999, Vicki wrote:

> > Basil Keilani <b_ke...@alcor.concordia.ca> wrote in message
> > news:Pine.OSF.4.10.9903301702590.15094-100000@alcor.concordia.ca...

> > > Naum, I happen to be a former resident of Kuwait and originally a
> > > Palestinian (Canadian citizen), and I will tell you Saddam Hussein is
> > > liked by certain Iraqis who benefit from privileges, but the majority
of
> > > Iraqis silently despise him.  The Iraqis I have met despise him and as
far
> > > as the protests they are organized by the government.  Many Iraqis
> > > privately curse Saddam.  Saddam has also killed some of his own
relatives.
> > > Saddam is corrupt.  Just because people are clapping for Saddam does
not
> > > mean the people have Democracy, like him.  That is false.  You said
your
> > > father lived in Iraq.  Ask him about the mass execution of the
Communists
> > > in Iraq.  There is only one political party allowed to exist in Iraq,
so
> > > do not tell me about people liking Saddam.

> > > Basil

> > Basil Naum and all,
> >     We can't take a vote currently in Iraq, so I don't think this
argument
> > will be solved for a long time, if at all.  I'd be interested to know if
> > Iraqis and what portion of them support Saddam Hussein, but  I think
that
> > people see things differently, and so I'll really never know.  I could
go
> > there, and that would be the closest to knowing that I'd ever get.  I do
> > know however that Saddam has lots of Shiites to deal with.  I don't
think
> > many Shiites like him from what I've heard.  Shiites make up either 60
or 70
> > percent of the Iraqi population.  So maybe it's not a majority.  What
I'd
> > like to know is how did the elections take place in Iraq.  I mean how
were
> > they setup, and all of that.  Anyone know?  Well that's my view.
> >             Vicki

> I basically adopt French semiologist Jean Baudrillard's view when it comes
> to the U.S. and Saddam: "One of the two adversaries is a rug salseman, the
> other an arms salesman: they have neither the same logic nor the same
> strategy, even though they are both crooks."

> The enemy of my enemy isn't necessarily my friend. The only "leaders" I
> reserve judgment on are Castro and maybe to a lesser extent Quadaffi. In
> their cases I'm not sure who's lying and who's being truthful, but I want
> to like them and haven't been adequately convinced not to. (For instance,
> I had a friend in high school who was Cuban. Because he was a Jehovah's
> Witness, he was forbidden not to pledge allegiance to the Cuban flag in
> school. He told me that he & his family were taken to jail, and eventually
> sent (or fled, I'm not sure which) on a raft to the U.S. Obvious case of
> police corruption. But is Castro to blame? Is Bill Clinto to blame for
> Louima's sodomization at the hands of New York City cops? Tough
> questions.) And from history, Jefferson, although his flaws - slave
> holder, rich land owner/speculator - are glaring.