An eye for an eye. That was once the essence of justice in Iraq, back when Hammurabi wrote his code of laws in Babylon. The law was harsh four thousand years ago, but under that code, all men were to be treated equally.
More recently, when Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq, some citizens were more equal than others. The president and his men issued death warrants at will. Baath Party bosses were supposed to be above the law, but those out of favor with the regime were powerless if falsely accused. Now, Iraqis themselves, and Americans, are puzzling over how to uncover the past and bring justice to the families of victims. Building a future on the unmarked graves of the past: war crimes, truth and reconciliation.
Guests:
Samantha Power, Pulitzer prize winning author of “A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide,” and lecturer in public policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government
Charles Forrest, CEO of Indict, London-based group that compiles evidence of alleged war crimes in Iraq.