Saddam is trying to tap into religious sentiment among Iraqis, especially Sunni Arabs, by appearing to be a humble, pious man. He is trying to portray himself as the one being oppressed, rather than the oppressor.

Where was Kofi Annan when Saddam was slaughtering the Iraqis like sheep?

I don't think any dialogue taking place behind the Iraqis' and Arabs' backs can be fruitful.

Iraqis cannot understand how Saddam has been held for nearly two years without trial. There's plenty, plenty of evidence. What's the holdup? People find it unacceptable.

The Arabs are victims. You have Shia Arabs, under Arabization under Saddam Hussein, who were forcibly moved up there... You have Kurds who were displaced by these Arabs that were moved up there by Saddam Hussein. Kurds have been displaced from Kirkuk for hundreds of years.

The real problem is not why some pious, humble, believing people suffer, but why some do not.