>Back to the word court... IF Saddam decides to take advantage of exile with immunity from prosecution, whose authority do you expect this is to be done under?...And will it stick over the longer term?...And if so, why?

It depends on who grants him the immunity from prosecuction, if it is the UN or the US.

It doesn't seem that long ago that there was a problem with another nasty dictator charged with crimes against humanity, Pinochet. Under UK law it was argued that he was entitled to immunity from prosecution as he was head of state at the time of commiting those acts & that the immunity for those particular crimes applied even after he ceased to be head of state. This view was strongly held by our ex-prime minister, Thatcher & supported by quite a few people in the US. So if he comes to the UK, lawyers would have a field day arguing if he could be extradited to face trial for his crimes.