Iraqis on Saddam's trial

Omar of Iraq the Model has been translating Arab and Iraqi comments from the BBCArabic.com's Arabic forum. He's posted a few of them on his blog along with this interesting breakdown.

There were 129 posts at the time I’ve I started translating these comments. 57 of those came from Iraq and the rest came mainly from Egypt, Jordan, the gulf states and other Arab countries. 6 Iraqis out of the 57 were against the trial while the rest expressed great joy and happiness in response to this event. Among the rest 72 comments that came from Arab citizens, there were 37 posters who opposed the trial for one reason or another while the rest shared the majority of Iraqis their happiness and optimism about this trial.

An overwhelming majority of Iraqis who commented favor the trial, while a slight majority of the Arabs oppose it. This is not a poll, and Omar doesn't present it as such, so it can't be taken as an accurate breakdown of public opinion. Check this exchange purportedly between one Al Salih Rami of Palestine and another who signs only as Arif of Iraq:

-The Americans are the ones who will judge Saddam behind the curtains therefore anyone who calls for Saddam to be judged is a Zionist-American. We in Palestine call for his release.
Al Salih Rami- Al Quds/Palestine.

-To Mr. Al Salih Rami: putting Saddam into a trial is part of Iraq’s freedom and independence, the freedom that you don’t have, and By the way; where can we find this Palestine you’re talking about?
Arif-Iraq.

And we have this one from Shakir Al Ajili:

-Congratulations for our people. The tyrant’s hour has came. As for Arabs; congratulations for your slavery and your submission to your tyrants.
Shakir Al Ajili-Babylon/Iraq.

It will be interesting to see how the Iraqis view their Arab neighbors after things have settled down in their country. Words and actions from the Arab street and the Arab media, haven't been what I would call helpful.