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Your World Today

Vice President Cheney Makes Case for war in Iraq; Saddam Hussein Trial; The Rise of Women Terrorists

Aired December 06, 2005 - 12:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We've been listening in to Vice President Dick Cheney as he speaks at Fort Drum in northern New York. He is speaking to the Army's 10th Mountain Division and the New York Army National Guard 42nd Infantry Division.
The vice president making the case for the war in Iraq, saying to pull out of Iraq now would be a victory for terrorists and would make it a country that is run by tyrants, as the debate here in the U.S. goes on about what should be the future of the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

The president also spoke about Iraq in the last hour. He met with the director general of the World Health Organization. They were talking about bird flu. But the president did also answer questions, and he made comments about the war in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I know we are going to win. And our troops need to hear not only are they supported, but that we have got a strategy that they will win. Oh, there's pessimists, you know, and politicians who try to score points. But our strategy is one that is -- will lead us to victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The headlines from Iraq today, five secret witnesses testified at Saddam Hussein's trial today in Baghdad. Their identities were shielded by a blue curtain. The witnesses gave wrenching accounts of beatings and electric shock back in 1982 at the hands of Iraqi intelligence officers.

Al-Jazeera television showed video today of a man insurgents claim is an American. If confirmed, he would be the second American and the sixth Westerner kidnapped in Iraq in recent days.

And there's been another bold attack on Iraqi security forces. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a police academy in Baghdad. At least 36 officers and academy students were killed. Police say more than 70 other people were wounded.

For more on Saddam Hussein's trial, CNN's Aneesh Raman joins me now from Baghdad.

Aneesh, hello.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good afternoon.

A heated exchange at the end of today's session -- they have adjourned for the day, set to resume again tomorrow -- between Saddam Hussein and the judge. Saddam Hussein telling the judge, I've been in the same clothes for the past three days. I've been in the same underwear for the past three days. I want a break.

The judge, though, said because of security concerns that the trial would push ahead tomorrow. And as the court session ended, Saddam Hussein said, "I will not be in court without justice." Also said something to the effect of, Go to hell, America. So the lingering question of tomorrow's session, essentially, is whether Saddam will show up.

Now it comes nine hours into today's session. We heard from five witnesses. All of them, their identities kept anonymous.

They testified behind blue curtains. Many of -- a number of them had their voices altered. And we only know them as Witness A through E. All of them detail torture that they endured after they were imprisoned following a July 1982 failed assassination attempt in Dujail on Saddam Hussein.

Let's listen in to the tape that we have from the courtroom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The courtroom -- when we decide tomorrow, we decided to finish tomorrow, and then later the courtroom will (INAUDIBLE) consensus and take into consideration all the motions of the attorneys or the circumstances of the defendants. We have two plaintiffs, two complaint witnesses. And after that, there will be other dates.

You want to...

(CROSSTALK)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAMAN: The judge summed up the day, saying that there are two, as he says, complaint witnesses that will come forward tomorrow. The witnesses we have heard from so far, Daryn, are witnesses called by the judges, not be the prosecution or by the defense. And the judge all day has been persistent in making the witnesses be specific.

This is a legal case. Nothing can be taken as an assumption. And so while a horrific testimony was given about beatings endured, torture endured, they have to link all of that, the prosecution, to the eight men sitting in that courtroom; notably, Saddam Hussein himself.

They have to build a chain of command. They have to prove this case.

So again, tomorrow, court will resume. Two more witnesses it seems set to testify. The question, will Saddam show up -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And why is that a question? He's threatening not to because he doesn't like how it's going?

RAMAN: Well, he's saying that he's been in the same clothes for the past three days. He said he's been in the same underwear for the past three days. He essentially wants a break.

Nine hours of session today, eight hours yesterday. Long days for these men. And so he was trying to assert himself, as he often does at moments in this trial, defiantly trying to question the judge, almost assuming he is more powerful than the court itself.

And so we are not quite sure of what will happen tomorrow, whether this was just an aside statement by Saddam or whether he will in fact decide not to show up. But the judge clearly maintaining control.

The judge that come under criticism, Daryn, in the earlier sessions, October 19, and last week's session, for not having enough control of the court. It was being wrestled away by the defense attorneys, who were objecting often. And also by the defendants, Saddam Hussein most of all, who were standing up at will.

Yesterday he shouted, "Long live Iraq!" Other defendants standing up chanting their praise for Saddam Hussein.

And so the judge is really trying in yesterday's session and today to maintain order, to maintain this trial's pace, and get those two witnesses on the stand tomorrow -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes. Let's hope they get him some new clothes and underwear and get on with this thing.

Aneesh Raman, live in Baghdad.

Thank you.

Here in the U.S., the ACLU has filed its first-ever lawsuit challenging the anti-terror practice that's called rendition. The group is suing former CIA director George Tenet on behalf of Khalid al-Masri (ph), a German who says he was wrongly imprisoned.

Masri (ph) appeared via video. The lawsuit accuse the CIA of kidnapping Masri (ph) in 2003 and whisking him off to Afghanistan, where he claims he was tortured.

Masri (ph) called on the CIA to admit its mistakes and apologize. The lawsuit also claims three corporations that owned the plane that transported Masri (ph) are legally responsible. The administration has not publicly responded to that lawsuit.

The secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, calls rendition a vital tool in combating transnational terrorism. But exactly what is it and why is it so controversial?

Our Brian Todd explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Often inconspicuous, sometimes characterized as shadowy, the practice of rendition now very publicly defended.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: Renditions take terrorists out of action and save lives.

TODD: They also create a great deal of debate, which is why Condoleezza Rice is clarifying the policy with European allies. Rendition essentially means picking up a suspected terrorist in one country and whisking that person to the country of his or her origin for questioning by agents of that country, avoiding formal extradition.

Who does the picking up? Terrorism experts, including a former CIA officer and a former U.S. military intelligence officer, say in the case of the U.S., it usually involves American intelligence operatives working with agents from the country where the suspect is apprehended and agents from the country where he's being taken. They say the governments taking part don't always publicly acknowledge their roles. But most often, these are U.S. allies in the war on terror, including the Europeans.

REUEL MARC GERECHT, FMR. CIA OFFICER: The notion that the agency engaged in any type of rendition in a Western European country without the coordination support of its internal security service and the approval of the prime minister's office is unthinkable.

TODD: Reuel Gerecht says the practice of rendition started during the Clinton administration. And the use of rendition encompasses another controversy in the war on terror.

RICE: The United States has not transported anyone and will not transport anyone to a country when we believe he will be tortured.

TODD: When Rice and President Bush make those declarations, say intelligence experts, it's a bit like, don't ask, don't tell. And any government's definition of torture may be vastly different from those of human rights groups.

TOM MALINOWSKI, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH: My impression is that they are interpreting torture as something that leaves physical scars on a person. So if you subject someone to water torture, or a mock execution, or you threaten to bury them alive, that's not torture because it doesn't leave bumps and bruises.

TODD (on camera): Rendition also sparks debate purely from an intelligence standpoint. Some former intelligence officials say it's been valuable for gathering information in the post-9/11 climate. But one former CIA officer says when an intelligence agency renders a suspect over to another country it loses control of that asset and the information is limited.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The CIA operative whose covert identity was first revealed in a 2003 newspaper column is reportedly leaving her post. The "Los Angeles Times" Web site says Valerie Plame's last job -- last day on the job will be Friday. Friends say the mother of 5-year-old twins wanted to spend more time with her family, but a former colleague also is quote quoted as saying the leak of Plame's identity destroyed her career.

Former vice presidential aide Scooter Libby was indicted in connection to the leak case. And that investigation does continue.

A beetle -- actually, make that a battle between the Pentagon and some colleges and universities is playing out at the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court is deciding if schools that receive federal funds can bar military recruiters in protest of the Pentagon's policy on gays. Many schools bar recruiters from public agencies and private companies that have a discriminatory policy.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

JUSTICE ANTHONY KENNEDY, U.S. SUPREME COURT: They could organize a student protest at the hiring interview room so that everybody jeers when the applicant comes in the door? And the school could organize that? When it's, say, a job fair and all the employers are there, but then they jeer?

Just the school organizes a line jeering both the recruiters and the applicants? That's equal access?

PAUL CLEMENT, SOLICITOR GENERAL: I think that would be equal access. I think you have to draw a practical line here between...

KENNEDY: I'm surprised you...

CLEMENT: ... between access and allowing the speech. But I think you have to be...

JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA, U.S. SUPREME COURT: You're not going to be an Army recruiter, are you?

(LAUGHTER)

CLEMENT: I don't think the military and the Army recruiters -- and I won't be one of them. But I think the Army recruiters are not worried about being confronted with speech. They are worried about actually not being allowed on to the same...

SCALIA: Well, I'm worried about having students driven off. And if you have jeering and picketing, do you really think that that fulfills the purposes of this amendment?

CLEMENT: I don't know if it would fulfill every purpose, but I think the amendment has to accommodate the First Amendment... KENNEDY: Jeering and picketing if a black person came to recruit and the people didn't -- and the school faculty didn't like blacks? I think that's an extraordinary position you are taking.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KAGAN: And what we are hearing is something extraordinary, indeed. An audio tape coming out of today's arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court. Dozens of colleges have filed briefs on both sides of this case.

Bit by bit, blast by blast. Another historic bridge, boom, in Charleston, South Carolina, comes down. This morning crews began exploding the Grace Memorial Bridge. It was built back in 1928 and is now considering structurally unsound.

It's one of two Charleston bridges being demolished in phases. That took place about two and a half hours ago. We saw it live here on CNN.

U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, remember him? He helped lead government efforts on the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. Admiral Allen will answer your e-mail questions about recovery efforts there when he joins Kyra Phillips on LIVE FROM at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

Meanwhile, more of YOUR WORLD TODAY is coming up after a quick break.

I'm Daryn Kagan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

JIM CLANCY, CNN ANCHOR: To our viewers in the United States and around the world, welcome back. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International. I'm Jim Clancy.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Zain Verjee. Here are some of the top stories we've been following.

More than 90 people aboard an Iranian military transport plane are dead after it crashed into a residential area south of the capital. The plane clipped an apartment block as it went down, sparking an explosion. The building was immediately evacuated, but more than 20 people are known to have died on the ground.

CLANCY: Two suicide bombers attacked an Iraqi police academy in Baghdad, killing at least 36 officers and cadets. Initial reports said the bombers were women, but U.S. officials now say they were men. Both al Qaeda in Iraq and the Islamic army in Iraq claimed responsibility in posts they made on the Internet.

VERJEE: Several unidentified witnesses have taken the stand in the trial of Saddam Hussein. A woman known only as Witness A described how she was tortured and beaten as a teen during four years in prison. And a man called Witness C said his father was beaten to death while in detention. CLANCY: Now to the escalating war of words between Israel and Iran. At the center of the dispute, Tehran's nuclear ambitions and its recent purchase of missile technology.

John Vause covers that story for us from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Israel successfully tested its Arrow anti-ballistic missile system last week, the message to Iran was clear. The destroyed target, a missile similar to Iran's long range Shihab-3, which could be armed with a nuclear warhead capable of reaching Israel.

Days later, Russian's foreign minister, while visiting India, confirmed what had been widely reported.

SERGEI IVANOV, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): A contract for the delivery of air defense tour missile systems to Iran has been indeed been signed.

VAUSE: A billion-dollar plus air defense system which could be used to protect Iran's nuclear facilities.

EPHRAIM INBAR, ISRAELI DEFENSE ANALYST: In the case of Iranians, they try to enhance their defensive capabilities. But their defensive capabilities allows them to add offensive capabilities, which are threatening to their neighbors. And we react to their offensive capabilities.

VAUSE: While Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian use, Israel, Europe, and the United States suspect the Iranians are more interested in nuclear bombs than nuclear power.

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): You have to understand that Israel and not only Israel cannot accept the situation that Iran will get a nuclear weapon. This is clear to us and we are making all the necessary preparations.

VAUSE: Israel has reportedly secured a deal with Germany for two more Dolphin class attack submarines, widely believed to have a second strike capability if Israel is attacked first.

And while Prime Minister Sharon is pushing for U.N. sanctions against Iran, his military chief of staff warns that diplomacy has until March to succeed. After that, he says, Iraq will be, quote, "past the point of no return in its development of nuclear weapons."

When asked how far he was prepared to go to stop this...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two thousand kilometers.

VAUSE: The distance between Israel and Iran. But Iran is warning there will be dire consequences of a preemptive Israeli strike. The Zionist regime is well that if it made such a grave mistake, the Iranian reaction would be devastating, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying.

(on camera): A lot of the tough talk coming from the Israelis can be put in the context of next year's election. Even so, both Israel and Iran are spending billions on military hardware to try and stay one step ahead of the other.

John Vause, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: The growing Iran/Israel conflict is just the latest in a string of diplomatic difficulties surrounding Tehran's nuclear program. Talks between Iran and three E.U. powers broke off in August after Tehran restarted uranium conversion. No dates have been set for the resumption of talks and Iran has said it will not consider a European proposal that its uranium enrichment be moved to Russia to ensure it can't be secretly used for weapons.

CLANCY: In recent history, jihad had a gender, and it was predominantly male. Among terror groups like al Qaeda, suicide bombers were almost always exclusively male. But not anymore. Just last week, a Belgian woman and a Muslim convert blew herself up in Baquba in Iraq.

Earlier, we talked with Christopher Dickey, the Middle East editor of "Newsweek," and asked about the new disturbing tactic being used by the al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTOPHER DICKEY, "NEWSWEEK": Well, I think that people are surprised that women are getting involved with al Qaeda in this particular way. Basically, Abu Musab Zarqawi, the al Qaeda leader in Iraq, has made a big jump psychologically for al Qaeda. Because bin Laden and his lead ideologue, Ayman Zawahiri, have been very reluctant to use women.

The women suicide bombers we've seen on and off for the last 20 years have mostly come from secular groups, from groups that were not terribly religious. Hamas in Israel and the Palestinian territories didn't actually get involved with using women until January of last year.

But now we see Abu Musab al Zarqawi doing this and it creates enormous security problems, because people just don't know how to deal with women suicide bombers effectively in a lot of parts of the Arab world, including and especially Iraq.

CLANCY: Does this indicate that Abu Musab al Zarqawi has a problem in recruitment?

DICKEY: Well, it could indicate that he's got a problem with recruitment. Certainly this is a useful recruiting tool for him. On the one hand, he can bring women into the jihad, into the action as martyrs, as he would say. On the other hand, he certainly uses this to goad men and to say, look at these women, they're blowing themselves up. They are brave, they are martyrs, why are you men standing by and doing nothing? Why are you cowards? And in a society like Iraqi society, with the kinds of people he's trying to appeal to become martyrs, this is a powerful tool.

CLANCY: Perhaps more importantly, how does this indicate a split in strategies that you referred to earlier between Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri, al Qaeda, as it is known now and this new al Qaeda in Iraq, headed Zarqawi?

DICKEY: Well, you know, originally Zarqawi was not very close to bin Laden and to Zawahiri. And in Afghanistan, he was running an operation that was in some ways trying to compete with them. But in Iraq, he has learned how to really dominate the media and he's essentially taken the initiatives for al Qaeda. He's done horrific things, but they have gotten him a lot of attention at a time basically when you've got bin Laden and Zawahiri hiding out in mountains some place in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

So, as a result, he has become the vanguard of al Qaeda. And he can take an action like this, whether they want it or not in al Qaeda central, wherefore that is, in Afghanistan or Pakistan. And that's essentially what he seems to have done in this case.

CLANCY: A lot of parents asking the question how could a girl who was raised a Roman Catholic, who had some troubles in her youth, apparently with drugs and other things, but how could she suddenly end up a suicide bomber? Is there any clues in this case that show the path?

DICKEY: Well, our reporting on the death of Muriel Degauque suggests that she was a pretty unhappy woman. Although we can't always say that suicide bombers, men or women, are acting the way normal suicides would if you can call suicide normal under any cases.

But in her particular instance, she seems to have had a lot of bad relationships, a lot of trouble finding herself. She had had three extended relationships with Muslim men. She clearly saw that as some sort of direction for her. She'd gone away to Morocco to live for about three years and when she'd come back, she was wearing not only the hijab, the veil, she was wearing a nikab, she was completely covered and she was presenting herself, essentially, as a fundamentalist.

So her parents were not everybody than surprised when they heard that a Belgian woman had been involved in a suicide attack in Iraq in early November. The news just came out last week. They were not that surprised to find out that that was their daughter. In fact, they told the press in Belgium that, essentially, they knew immediately it was their daughter.

CLANCY: Iraqi women, though, must be looking on. Any reaction on that front among women in Middle East when they see a Western woman, a convert to Islam, coming in and committing this kind of act? And as you said earlier, with Zarqawi, who was known for some very bloody, ruthless tactics?

DICKEY: Well, I think that -- I think once again, this is a recruitment bid. Obviously, if you have a European women who looks very northern European, with a European task force, if you just wanted to use her a terrorist weapon, you could use her much more effectively than in Baquba against an Iraqi patrol.

But on the other hand, this is one of those instances where you can see here is a foreign woman, convert to Islam, who is more brave than our own women and our own men. And this is an incitement. This is an incitement. So that may be why Zarqawi chose to use her in this particular way.

CLANCY: And the question that raises, Christopher Dickey, is where it will lead.

Christopher Dickey of "Newsweek," our thanks to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: All right, there a perspective on women as suicide bombers, not for the first time. And the question is, how much will we see it in the future?

Zain?

VERJEE: Jim, a chilly forecast is in store for the U.S. and Guillermo Eduardino is going to bring us all those details just ahead.

Also, coming up, Disney's taking aim at you movie lovers and evangelical Christians in upcoming "Chronicles of Narnia." We'll details when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Welcome back. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

CLANCY: An hour of international news here on, where else, but CNN international.

(WEATHER REPORT)

VERJEE: The new film "The Chronicles of Narnia" tells the tale of four children who tumble through the door of a magical wardrobe, then they discover a wondrous land where animals speak and unicorns roam.

CLANCY: Sounds really good. On the surface, "The Lion, the witch and the Wardrobe," the whole setup doesn't seem to be deeply spiritual story. But why are the marketers focusing so much on religious undertones as they promote the film?

Delia Gallagher has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you are the average moviegoer, Walt Disney Pictures has a message for you. If you like fun-for-the-whole-family movies like Harry Potter, you'll love Disney's hugely expensive new film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," another special effects-laden fantasy adventure. That's what all of America has been hearing for weeks.

But for nearly a year Disney has been sending one group a very different message, telling them that you'll like this movie, if you liked this movie. That's right, Mel Gibson's deeply controversial, ultraviolent "Passion of the Christ." The faithful stunned Hollywood by flocking to the passion. That takes so far, more than $600 million worldwide and still counting.

So Disney's trying to rake in those "Passion" dollars by quietly, but aggressively marketing "Narnia" to evangelicals as a Christian movie. It's a risky strategy. The studio doesn't want to alienate all those families who like their fantasy adventures but would avoid a spiritual tie-in. It's walking a fine line.

Studio executives didn't really want to talk about their huge faith-based marketing effort. So we traveled to First Baptist Church in Ft. Lauderdale to see for ourselves.

REV. LARRY THOMPSON, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH: I want to welcome you to this unique sneak peak of what I believe is going to be one of the greatest films of all time.

GALLAGHER: Pastor Larry Thompson has invited several hundred children to a special "Narnia" celebration, a chance to see an extended trailer for the film. The movie is based on the first book of "The Chronicles of Narnia," a beloved seven volume series by the late British author C.S. Lewis, seven volumes. It's a safe Disney execs are thinking "Harry Potter" meets "The Passion of the Christ" box office, with lots of sequels.

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" tells the tale of four children who discover a magical wardrobe, a door into a wondrous land. Torn apart by a cruel witch, and later saved by its true king, a noble lion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need your help.

ASLAN: I know, but understand the future of Narnia rests on your courage.

GALLAGHER: It doesn't seem deeply spiritual, but for many evangelicals, that's exactly what it is.

THOMPSON: How many of you remember the name of the lion? What's its name? Aslan. Now in the movie, who does Aslan represent?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jesus.

THOMPSON: That's right. Aslan represents Jesus Christ. GALLAGHER: C.S. Lewis is best known for "Narnia." But he was also one of the 20th century's foremost Christian writers, and it's widely accepted that he wrote "Narnia" as a biblical allegory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aslan is on the move.

GALLAGHER: That's why in the story ...

THOMPSON: Everything is frozen. It's always winter, and it's never Christmas.

GALLAGHER: Events like the one at First Baptist happened over and over again, 140 churches across the country so far. In fact, Disney hired the same team that marketed "The Passion" to churches to preach the gospel of "Narnia."

(on camera): You think it's going to be good?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not good, great.

GALLAGHER: Oh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, more than great, better.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): And just as Disney hopes pastors will spread the world about the movie, pastors hope the movie will spread the word about Jesus Christ.

(on camera): Do you think it's a movie which could bring people to Christ?

THOMPSON: Oh, absolutely. Everything we do here has that goal to ultimately bring people to Christ.

All right, that is your lion. There you go.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): Pastor Thompson is weaving Narnia into his Christmas season sermons.

THOMPSON: So that we can keep the children and the family all engaged at the same time.

GALLAGHER: But remember that fine marketing line Disney walks with "Narnia"?

DENNIS RICE, SR. VP, WALT DISNEY STUDIOS: Well, it's a fantasy adventure. It's about four kids who are taken away from war-torn London during World War II.

GALLAGHER (on camera): Is it also a Christian story?

RICE: If C.S. Lewis were here he'd tell you that he didn't write a Christian book. And we certainly don't think we've made a Christian movie.

GALLAGHER (voice-over): But they are hoping for a marketing miracle. And we know in Disney's magic kingdom, sometimes a lion is not just a lion.

Delia Gallagher, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: Going to have to see it now. That's fascinating.

CLANCY: Yes, there's more to that movie than I thought. Time for us to take a short break.

VERJEE: When YOUR WORLD TODAY returns, we're going to open "The Inbox." We have some really good e-mails from you, so we're going to check on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Welcome back, everyone. Zain, let's open the inbox.

VERJEE: Yes, all right.

CLANCY: The trial of Saddam Hussein, the subject of our question of the day. Where did everybody go. There it is. "The Inbox."

VERJEE: We were asking you this. Has your opinion of Saddam Hussein changed since seeing him in the courtroom?

A viewer in Saudi Arabia writes, "it's obvious from the second hearing that there is no hard evidence against Saddam, and the witnesses are weak. Saddam will be set free."

CLANCY: Molly, who did remember her name, wrote in from Costa Rica, "I am struck by the personal power that he has retained in spite of the humiliating treatment he has received. Not that he doesn't deserve it."

VERJEE: A.J. writes, "the witnesses so far presenting have been disappointing. If this how the trial is going, Saddam Hussein is going to win the case."

CLANCY: Moyo writes this from Nigeria: "Did I just hear Saddam Hussein say there is no space to swim or even smoke? That's very funny. Does he think he's actually in one of his palaces? He should be reminded that he is actually in prison."

VERJEE: YWT@CNN.com, that's our e-mail address. Tell us what you think. Weigh in on this and make sure you remember your name. We'd really like to know a bit more about you, so ...

CLANCY: That's right. Keep it short like all of you did today, and we appreciate hearing from you. Saddam Hussein's trial, that's a very interesting topic. There's a lot of opinions. For now I'm Jim Clancy.

VERJEE: And I'm Zain Verjee. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY on CNN International.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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