Larry Gude said:
Celebration in the streets? Not really. Do you remember any feeling of 'Hey, you know, there really doesn't seem to be all that massive a turnout...hmm..."
We know what true, broad celebration looks like. We've seen it in video and pictures from Paris and Holland in WWII. We've seen the same thing in our own streets. Celebrating VE and VJ day.
I believe there wasn’t this mass celebration, as you defined in your WWII example, is Iraqis knew Saddam was still out there somewhere. After 30+ years of Saddam-instilled fear Iraqis probably felt that Saddam would reappear and more defiant and brutal than before, especially against those that cheered his fall.
The biggest celebration in the streets of Iraq was 75% of the qualified voters went to the polls and voted in their new Constitution and government, then they went on with their lives going back to school, starting businesses and their stock market, trying to establish their new army and security.
Fact is, Saddam kept a bunch of losely attached people together by force. We took that control away and have been dealing with the fractured, naturally unassociated parts ever since.
This is absolutely true. Point is what? Do you think this was not going in all across liberated Europe (especially Germany) post-WWII? Another element you may have forgotten that contributes to the chaos in Iraq is just before Saddam realized he was going to lose the war he released thousands of prisoners. These prisoners were told that it was Saddam that is freeing them. Most of these prisoners were hardened criminals and are probably behind much of the violence in Iraq today.
I have ZERO faith of seeing Saddam dead any time soon. He knows his people FAR better than we thought we did. There are more people with everything on the line over there than just him; every single person associated with this trial have family and their own lives to consider.
You don’t believe, for the majority of Iraqis, there will be a big collective sigh of relief when/if Saddam is executed? Is it too impossible for you to believe that it may be that event that Iraqis have been waiting for to get that sense of freedom to take their country back; that, by Saddam’s very existence, Iraqis still live in a fear that prevents them from acting on this freedom that they have been given? I could be wrong about this, but I remain optimistic that Iraqis want this freedom and one less element (a huge element) in their belief that their freedom is threatened brings them that much closer to what they have desired all their lives.
What if Saddam is acquitted? What if there is some sort of split decision? What if they decide to hit him with a shoe...and set him free?
It’s my belief (and I mentioned this before) Saddam will never survive. If he stays in Iraq he will be killed; otherwise he will go into exile (in Syria), in which case he will probably be killed.
Does anyone on hear truly trust the judicial system of a messed up place like Iraq? Half of us don't trust our own Supreme Court.
I say hold on to your hats. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.
I suppose you’re right about this, but again, I don’t think he stands to survive if acquitted and released.
to say the least. 
