Episode 80: How to Try a Dictator - Lessons from Saddam

What does it take to hold a dictator accountable for decades of atrocities? In this episode, Tim Horgan speaks with Chris Ried, Director of Operations at Mercury SGS and former Regime War Crimes Liaison in post-Saddam Iraq. Drawing on his firsthand experience in building the case against Saddam Hussein, Chris reflects on the challenges of documenting crimes, ensuring a fair trial, and balancing peace with justice. Together, they explore what Saddam’s trial revealed about international law, the dangers of “victor’s justice,” and how history can shape the pursuit of accountability today.As new atrocities emerge across the globe, this conversation highlights the hard lessons of Iraq, the importance of truth-telling, and the enduring struggle to make justice real—even in the aftermath of brutality.