A surprise from Saddam Hussein

After weeks of misbehavior in court, Saddam Hussein surprised everyone today by taking responsibility. From the BBC today:

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has told his trial in Baghdad that he alone should be made to answer for the actions of his regime.At the end of a second straight day of prosecution evidence, he said the court should not be trying anyone else - a reference to his seven co-defendants.

Earlier, he admitted razing the farms of those convicted of trying to kill him in the town of Dujail in 1982Â…

Having listened to the documents and testimonies - many of which implicated his fellow defendants in the killings of 148 Shia Muslims from Dujail - he told the court it should be trying him alone.

But he insisted that he had done nothing wrong, as those who were executed had been found guilty of trying to assassinate him.

He still doesn't fail to surprise. I wonder what brought about this turn of events? I was beginning to think that his trial would never finish up, what with all the grandstading. It's been interesting to watch. I feel for the judge. How do you keep control of the courtroom if the defendants don't acknowledge that you have any power of them?