GOP, Dems Praise Saddam Verdict

Nov. 5, 2006 — -- In the final hours of the bitter and bruising campaign for control of Congress, Republicans and Democrats found unanimity -- praising the the process that led to the conviction of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity.

President Bush called the verdict "a milestone in the Iraq people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law." He told reporters it was "a major achievement for Iraq's young democracy and its constitutional government."

Mr. Bush spoke in Waco, Tex., before boarding Air Force One for a day of campaigning in Nebraska and Kansas.

"An Iraqi court has rightly handed down this verdict and it is just," said Rep. Tom Lantos of California, the top Democrat on the House International Relations Committee.

Asked if the U.S. government hoped the court-imposed death penalty would be carried out, Snow said, "We don't hope … We're not rooting. We're not holding up score cards. We simply think it's important that you establish a rule of law where people have their rights protected, where they have the right to appeal, where they have rights to counsel, but also where victims of violence have redress."

Strategists in both parties said they didn't expect the verdict to have much impact on Tuesday's elections. But that didn't stop both sides from trying to score political points.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., used the verdict to call on President Bush to "explain to the American people how he intends to change course, so that our troops will finally have a strategy to complete the mission, Iraqis will finally have a plan to restore order to their country, and the mission can finally be accomplished."

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said it was "commendable and important" that the Iraqi legal system conducted the trial. But Dean also highlighted the mounting violence in Iraq by adding: "Our troops should be commended for providing the security needed to conduct this trial in Iraq."

Republicans sought to underscore that the U.S. invasion of Iraq toppled Hussein, and the positive aspects of what that has brought to Iraq.