<HTML><HTML>In a message dated 1/4/2004 7:12:21 PM Pacific Standard Time, philion@hawaii.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Saddam's right to council should be a given, but who should provide it is a legit subject of debate. </BLOCKQUOTE> In the US even people using public defenders can and do at times fire their attorneys. And major cases usually assemble a team with direction from a legal lead and / or from the defendant. I think outsiders can opine all we want about who should or should not be part of the team and why but the ultimate decision really isn't up to us! A more interesting question: if you wanted to offer to represent Saddam, how would you pitch your services and why? DoreneC</HTML>