US: The bearded, scowling face of Saddam Hussein dominated TV news channels in the United States throughout yesterday, with President George Bush among those watching the court appearance of the former Iraqi president whose overthrow has been the overriding goal of his presidency writes Conor O'Clery in New York
It was a day of triumph for the Bush administration, after an unremitting stream of set backs since the invasion of Iraq over a year ago.
Bringing the former dictator to court in Baghdad meant however that Americans saw a new, defiant side of the arch enemy, whose post-war image has been defined for the world by US military pictures showing Saddam as a wretched fugitive having his mouth examined by a US doctor.
The US president also had to listen to Saddam telling the Baghdad judge "this is all theatre, the real criminal is Bush.
"I'm sure Saddam Hussein will continue to say all sorts of things," said White House spokesman Mr Scott McClellan. "What's important is that Saddam Hussein and his regime leaders are going to face justice from the Iraqi people before an Iraqi court. This is an important step that will help the Iraqi people bring closure to the dark past of Saddam Hussein's brutal dictatorship."
The White House hopes that putting Saddam on trial could give Mr Bush a boost at a time when a majority of Americans are saying for the first time the war was not worth fighting. It highlights a success in the war and reminds Americans of the atrocities committed by his regime.
The focus on Saddam Hussein comes on a day marking a new start in the Bush administration's relationship with the United Nations. Yesterday, introducing the new US ambassador to the UN, former Senator John Danforth, Mr Bush struck a conciliatory note. In remarks sharply contrasting with his warning to the UN before the war that it could go the way of the old League of Nations if it did not back US invasion plans, Mr Bush praised multilateralism as the way ahead for America.
To "preserve the peace against ruthless terrorist networks", and to combat poverty and proliferation, the US needed "good relations with the great powers", Mr Bush said. And no nation could achieve this without multilateral institutions.
The United Nations was "serving a great purpose" helping Iraq with elections and to draft a constitution, Mr Bush added, and "America will work closely with the United Nations to fight terror." Mr Danforth (67) an ordained Episcopal priest who officiated at the Washington funeral service of former President Ronald Reagan, was unanimously approved yesterday by the US Senate. He will replace John Negroponte, who is now ambassador to Iraq.
The choice of Mr Danforth, a moderate in world affairs, sends a signal that the earlier criticism of the UN by the Bush administration is at the least being heavily toned down, as Washington finds it cannot go it alone in bringing stability and democracy to Iraq and dealing with the anti-American resentment in the Middle East.