Secretary Rice criticizes world community for not supporting Saddam trial

In yesterday's blogjam on rule of law and the Saddam trial, I discussed briefly the effective boycott of the Saddam trial by the so-called international community - the "moral high ground" states that mostly like to kibbitz and international NGOs who do pretty much the same. I also discussed it in an earlier post on the Saddam trial on this blog.

Secretary of State Rice makes much the same point in one section of her speech to the Heritage Foundation, here, in "An overview of international support for Iraqi democracy on the eve of the December 15, 2005 elections."

As she says with respect to the Saddam trial:

"Yet, as welcome as this broad support is, I'm sad to say that the international community has barely done anything to help Iraq prosecute Saddam Hussein. All who expressed their devotion to human rights and the rule of law have a special obligation to help the Iraqis bring to justice one of the world’s most murderous tyrants. The international community’s effective boycott of Saddam’s trial is only harming the Iraqi people, who are now working to secure the hope of justice and freedom that Saddam long denied them."

I could not agree more. I would probably put it in less diplomatic language, too.