Well this isn't good

I hope it doesn't end my progressive bona fides to call Ramsey Clark an attention whore?

Frankly, no matter what Clark gets involved in it generally has a negative backlash on progressive causes and today's action in Iraq will undoubtedly do so again. Thanks for the wingnut talking points -- the kind of thing that makes it worse for the people who have actually been right about this war from the beginning.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein's defense team walked out of court Monday shortly after the former leader's trial resumed because the judge refused to allow former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark to challenge the tribunal's legitimacy in an address to the courtroom.

Clark tried to address the court, saying he needed only two minutes to present his argument. But Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin said the tribunal had been established under the law by an elected Iraqi government and that only Saddam's chief lawyer could address the hearing.

Amin said the defense should submit its motion in writing and warned that if the defense walked out then the court would appoint replacement lawyers.

"We reject the appointment of court employees to defend us," Saddam said.

He and his half brother Barazan Ibrahim then chanted "Long Live Iraq, Long Live the Arab state."

When the judge explained that he was ruling in accordance with the law, Saddam replied: "This is a law made by America and does not reflect Iraqi sovereignty."

It's all a stunt. Not one as detrimental as the stunts the White House has pulled off repeatedly, but the Iraqi tribunal doesn't need to give Ramsey Clark time to rail about how illegitimate they are, this was all a plan to give Saddam a chance to give the bird to the United States.

That is not to say that many of the grievances of the Defense are not legitimate...the most basic of which is the comparative lack of security they receive.

Now I feel unclean, like I'm channelling Kevin Drum or something.