You remember those brutal Iraqis who hung Saddam Hussein by the neck until he was dead and then flashed his postmortem picture from cell phone to cell phone?  Those barbaric ghouls who were incapable of understanding, let alone implementing, the rule of law?

Well, it seems the ghouls have taken a holiday and the legal system in Iraq is picking up steam.  Saddam’s foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, has been acquitted of one of the (many) charges against him.  Aziz is an interesting case–he was generally the lead in contacts between Iraq and the west and while he was complicit in the regime’s crimes, he does not appear to have been a lead actor.  The Iraqi court, rather than being moved by a justifiable desire for vengeance, heard this case on its merits and acted in a level-headed, even merciful manner.

The results of this trial are the fruit of long, hard work on the part of the Iraqis and the Americans who have worked with them for the last six years to rebuild the rule of law in Iraq.  I particularly commend the efforts of Col. Mark Martins, who has overseen this process since 2004 and was the driving force behind the construction of the Palace of Justice where such trials can take place.  This is a result–unimaginable in the days of Aziz’ master–of which they should all be proud.