(Wall Street Journal) Daniel Henniman - In 1995, Saddam Hussein arrested nine Iraqi businessmen to scapegoat them as dollar traders. They were sentenced, after a year's imprisonment, to have their right hands surgically cut off at Abu Ghraib prison. Saddam had a videotape made of each procedure. The surgeon also carved an X of shame into the forehead of each man. Last year, after we liberated Iraq, veteran TV news producer Don North was determined to make a documentary of the story of the seven survivors he found. Cutting through red tape, the men were flown to Houston where reconstructive surgeons Dr. Joe Agris and Fred Kestler operated. Prosthetic "hands" were donated by a German-American prosthetic company, while rehabilitation and training is being donated by two other Houston companies. And oh yes, the brands on their heads were removed. Don North's film "Remembering Saddam" indeed should be seen, but after two months of trying, no U.S. broadcast or cable network will take it. TV can run Abu Ghraib photos 24/7 but can't find 55 minutes for Saddam's crimes against humanity?
2004-05-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive