This is chilling.  You can almost see the comtempt in his voice.

Court hears tape of Saddam plotting to gas the Kurds

The voice of Saddam Hussein was heard in a Baghdad court yesterday discussing the gassing of Kurds with his cousin "Chemical Ali" Hassan al-Majid.

With the chair of the hanged former Iraqi president empty in the dock, the prosecution played a tape in which Saddam allegedly discusses using chemical weapons on Kurds.

"I will strike them with chemical weapons and kill them all," a voice said to be Mr Majid is heard saying. "Who is going to say anything? The international community? A curse on the international community!"

Another voice, said to be Saddam’s, says, "Yes, it’s effective, especially on those who don’t wear a mask immediately, as we understand." A third voice, from the back, asks: "Sir, does it exterminate thousands?" "Saddam" responds: "Yes, it exterminates thousands and forces them not to eat or drink and they will have to evacuate their homes without taking anything with them."Yesterday’s proceedings began with the judge officially dismissing all charges against the dead president, including genocide, in relation to the Anfal campaign against the Kurds in which more than 100,000 people were killed.

By far the majority of the reactions in the media today are more concerned with the charges being dropped.

But the Wall Street Journal editorial board will not let this go so easily, nor will they forgive the NY Times Saddam apologiests from 2003.

Gas, Lies and Audiotape
It was Jan. 31, 2003. Congress had declared war on the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein 3 1/2 months earlier, but the actual shooting would not begin for another month and a half. The New York Times was urging America to back away from the conflict, and the paper’s op-ed page published a piece by one Stephen C. Pelletiere, an erstwhile CIA analyst, who asked: "Until Washington gives us proof of Saddam Hussein’s supposed atrocities, why are we picking on Iraq on human rights grounds, particularly when there are so many other repressive regimes Washington supports?"

Major Update below which is why this is bumped back to the top.

As the new speaker parties to celebrate her coronation:

House Warming- For Democrats and Deadheads, the Gilded Party

Despite the promised "new direction for America," getting the money out of politics and all of that, some facts of Washington life appear immutable and eternal.

"One hundred hours to make this the most honest and open Congress in history," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared at the beginning of a history-making day — which ended last night with the Democrat from California presiding over a glitzy fundraiser open to anyone with $1,000 for a ticket.

They had waited a long time for this night to party, nibble on goat cheese ravioli with pumpkin and truffle, wipe their lips with paper napkins embossed in gold with "Speaker Pelosi January 4, 2007," listen to former members of the Grateful Dead sing "Truckin’ " and Tony Bennett sing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

"Democrats are back!" Pelosi said in her remarks during the few minutes reporters were permitted inside. "We are ready to lead, prepared to govern and determined to make you proud."

But missing from their 100 hour agenda is Immigration reform.  That is an issue they don’t seem to be concerned with. 

Meanwhile on the border, look what is happening:

Guardsmen overrun at the Border

A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona’s border with Mexico.

According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state’s West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.

The Border Patrol will not say whether shots were fired. However, no Guardsmen were injured in the incident.

The Border Patrol says the incident occurred somewhere along the 120 mile section of the border between Nogales and Lukeville. The area is known as a drug corridor. Last year, 124-thousand pounds of illegal drugs were confiscated in this area.

Come on, ya gotta laugh. The two of them are so unsympathetic, this was bound to happen.  Kudos to Vince McMahon for doing it first.

Who will win?  Who gets the smackdown?  Watch and see…

Hat Tip Hot Air