Big Green Ogres

On Thursday's "The World Today". Media visits Saddam's mass graves on eve of US elections:

HAMISH ROBERTSON: Well, is there a link between the US presidential election campaign and the timing of a media visit to the site of a mass grave in Iraq's north overnight?

The grave containing the bodies of up to 3,000 Kurds was actually discovered two months ago, but pictures of the grave have only just been circulated.

How cynical can the media be? They're suggesting Bush doesn't care about the murder of these people, that all he cares for is a well-timed poll bounce.

The grave itself is nothing new, but the images serve to remind people of how evil Saddam Hussein really was. For once insurgents are off the nightly news, replaced instead by a reminder of Saddam's atrocities.

Stop beating around the bush and accuse Dubya of using propaganda.

The ABC also trots out a familiar furphy:

At the time, both Britain and the United States maintained close relations with Saddam's regime.

Britain and the US combined sold Saddam less than 1% of Iraq's weapons imports.

And a lecturer from Adelaide complains about trial by media:

GRANT NIEMANN: The evidence should be displayed before the court, preferably, rather than having a trial in the media.

You know, why is it being displayed now, when it's been around for a long time? You do ask the question.

Why don't you spell out the answer, Grant?

And should the war crimes trial for Saddam be long and drawn out?

ALISON CALDWELL: The world is familiar with the trial of Slobodan Milosevic. That's taken quite some time and faced many hurdles. Will the trial of Saddam Hussein be similar?

GRANT NIEMANN: Well it ought to be.