ASSOCIATED PRESS
Captured former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein spoke yesterday in this image from television.
Hawaii soldiers buoyed
by news of arrest,
yet mission continues
About 1:30 a.m. yesterday, Lt. Col. Scott Leith was working on final preparations for his deployment to Iraq when he read the banner scrolling across the CNN broadcast.
Leith of the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Division, said he knew it was true that Saddam Hussein was captured when the broadcast reported a medical examination had confirmed Hussein's identity.
"That's a tribute to the soldiers and the military as a whole that have been chasing him," Leith said. "We're one step closer to creating an environment where Iraqis can live in peace."
Despite the capture of the Iraqi leader, thousands of soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks are continuing to prepare for their deployment to Iraq.
"Getting him captured was part of the mission," said Army Team Leader Jeffrey Czapla, who will leave for Iraq next month. "We are still going over, and we are continuing on with our mission."
About 4,500 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division are scheduled to leave for Iraq in February. The 2nd Brigade and soldiers from the 1st Marine Division will replace the 82nd Airborne Division in western Iraq. Two months later, 3,500 soldiers from the 25th Division's 3rd Brigade will head to Afghanistan for a year.
Moreover, nearly 400 Hawaii Army reservists from the 411th Engineer Combat Battalion are slated to assemble at Schofield Barracks next month to make final preparations for their deployment to Iraq.
Specialist Marc Moreau, who leaves for Iraq in January, heard the news of Hussein's capture from his mother, who called him at about 3 a.m. yesterday.
"I was half asleep and thought I was dreaming," he said. "I couldn't believe it at first. I was just psyched that they finally caught him."
U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie commended the American troops who succeeded in their capture of Hussein.
"The troops who captured Saddam Hussein deserve our appreciation for their courage and professionalism," Abercrombie said. "The next step should be a trial conducted by the international court which is currently trying Slobodan Milosevic and other human-rights violators."
He added that the "key challenge remains the establishment of peace, stability and democracy in Iraq. To achieve that goal our government must have the wisdom to listen to all segments of the Iraqi population and include them at every step in the transition to full sovereignty."
It is uncertain whether Saddam could get a fair trial in Iraq, Abercrombie spokesman Mike Slackman said.
"Under the present setup, Saddam is liable to be tried by his political enemies, if it were strictly an Iraqi court, and as a result, it's questionable whether there would be a fair trial," Slackman said.
However, trial by an international tribunal "would establish for the record on a factual basis the nature and extent of Saddam's crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide," Slackman said.
A number of soldiers who are heading to Iraq and those who have since returned were elated to hear of Hussein's defeat.
"I heard it on a message on my answering machine," said Pvt. Ryan Pappas, who will deploy to Iraq next month. "I was kind of dumbfounded. It was a little bit of a relief."
Relatives and friends started to call Pappas early yesterday morning, leaving messages about the news. "My mother and father, they're hoping that good things will happen out of this," he said.
News about Hussein's capture reached Hawaii residents during the early morning hours. The official announcement was made about 2 a.m. HST.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Mamac, 29, who had served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation in Operation Iraqi Freedom, said he was flipping through the channels when he caught a glimpse of a captured Saddam being examined by medical staff members.
"Finally," he said.
But Mamac said more work is still needed to free Iraq. "We're headed in the right direction," he said.
Mamac, a 1992 Campbell High School graduate, is now serving on the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis at the Naval Station North Island Base in San Diego after the Constellation was decommissioned in the fall.
Mamac said he does not know whether the aircraft carrier will deploy to the Persian Gulf again.
"Nobody knows whether we're going up. We have no idea of what's going to come of it."
Mamac's wife, Claudia, said she was in disbelief of the Iraqi leader's capture.
"I just couldn't believe it. I was like, 'No way,'" she said. "I feel like we're finally getting somewhere. I can't say it's over."
But she doesn't like the thought of her husband possibly returning to the Persian Gulf.
"I don't want him to go back there," she said.
She also wondered what will happen during the aftermath of Saddam's capture. "It could arouse more anger from his faithful followers. It's still bittersweet."
Pappas said he hopes the result is the opposite.
"Maybe more people will be happy with our presence there," he said. "Maybe they'll believe a little bit more that we're there to help them as much as we can."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
