No remorse

Early on Sunday, after his beard was shaved off and he had caught some sleep on an Army cot, Saddam Hussein received his first Iraqi visitor...

Early on Sunday, after his beard was shaved off and he had caught some sleep on an Army cot, Saddam Hussein received his first Iraqi visitors. They were four senior Iraqi political figures, invited by US officials to confirm Saddam8217;s identity.

But instead of viewing him through a glass window as the US officials had intended, the Iraqis asked for 8212; and were granted 8212; permission to meet with the former president. In a half-hour session, Saddam sat with four men who represented the legions of Iraqis imprisoned, tortured or killed by his government, and the thousands who fled into exile during his rule.

8216;8216;It was surreal,8217;8217; said Mowaffak Rubaie, a member of Iraq8217;s US-appointed Governing Council. At first, they said, Saddam appeared fatigued and dishevelled. 8216;8216;He seemed tired and haggard,8217;8217; said Adnan Pachachi. Rubaie said Saddam appeared 8216;8216;broken down.8217;8217; But his attitude changed when questioned about some of the crimes that occurred during his years in power, including the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, the use of chemical weapons on Kurdish villages and killing of two Shiite clerics.

Despite being in American custody, Saddam was unrepentant, they recalled. 8216;8216;He was arrogant and hateful,8217;8217; said Adel Abdul-Mehdi, the head of the political bureau of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq. 8216;8216;He was defiant,8217;8217; Pachachi said. 8216;8216;He tried to justify his crimes by saying he was a just ruler.8217;8217; Asked about the mass graves that contain the bodies of thousands of Iraqis, Rubaie said Saddam scoffed and called the victims 8216;8216;thieves, army deserters and traitors.8217;8217; 8216;8216;He showed no remorse whatsoever,8217;8217; said Ahmed Chalabi.

Rubaie said a visitor noted that if they were in his position and he still was president, he would 8216;8216;put us in a meat grinder.8217;8217; 8216;8216;We asked him, 8216;What if we give you to the Iraqi people?8217; 8217;8217; Rubaie recalled. 8216;8216;He said, 8216;To those demagogues?8217; Can you believe it? He called the Iraqi people demagogues.8217;8217; That prompted one of the four to ask Saddam how he planned to 8216;8216;face God in Doomsday?8217;8217; 8216;8216;I will face him with a calm heart,8217;8217; Saddam responded, according to Rubaie. 8212; LAT-WP