(Untitled)

[fuxd]

Those of you in the city should check out "Terror's Advocate ("L'avocat de la Terreur") at the IFC. It's an incredibly ambitious documentary about the infamous Jacques Verges, the lawyer-maverick who has defended everyone from Carlos the Jackal to Milosevic to Klaus Barbie. He was set to defend Hussein and some of his cabinet too before the mob got

Comments

[fuxd]

The comparison made between Bush and Hitler in the quote has little to do with their actions. In context (of the film, and of the quote itself: "if he plead guilty") Verges is getting at a much more interesting point -- that Bush is, in some sense, even more reprehensible than Hitler. That is, insofar as society has not forced Bush into a court room, the travesty of the Bush administration overshadows that of Hitler: Bush's manipulation of the public (and the public's acquiescence) is what trial would bring to light -- that's what motivates Verges as a controversial defense attorney. Neither the Americans nor the Baathists wanted Verges to defend Hussein: the Baathists knew that Verges only defends those who are guilty, and the Americans knew that Verges only defends guilty people whose trial--if done right--could bring further injustice to light (like the US's supplying Hussein with weapons used for genocide: we had Hussein hanged on petty charges to have little facts like these covered up).

I know I'm blowing your comment a bit out of proportion, that after a while my fingers just wanted to keep typing--powered as much by my tiredness as by my gut opposition to the superficiality of your response--and I apologize for ranting, but really-- Do yourself a favor and check out the documentary instead of letting your prejudicial, soap-box moralizing run wild.

[thelosthoplite]

Moralizing? Your comment is more moralistic than mine. Superficial? Now you're just giving me a hard time. Regardless, I want to see the movie, so I will.

[nostalgebraist]

Even if Verges is only making that limited point about Hilter and Bush, it isn't implicit in the quote itself. Without context, I took the quote to mean that Bush was all-around more indefensible (legally, morally, or both) than Hitler. So I think the way you've isolated it was misleading.

[fuxd]

you're totally right, I just wanted to be a dick to him

[thelosthoplite]

And a hypocrite too.