Don Campbell

DON CAMPBELL: My name is Don Campbell, I'm a superior court judge from the state of New Jersey. I served there in Tamish River for twenty two years. I'm also an Army Reservist and had an opportunity to go to Iraq and serve as the Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Justice. I left Iraq less than two weeks ago. Served altogether about six months. My impressions, are as follows: six months ago they were cutting ears off, cutting tongues out, and branding deserters from the military in that country. Today the courts are open, I had an opportunity to travel throughout the entire country with their top leadership and looked the judges, the 700 judges that are currently serving in Iraq in the eye and share with them the challenges they face, help them to restore a rule of law. They're well on their way, they remember before Saddam Hussein what the country's judicial system was like and they are bringing it back to where it should be. One of the most important things I saw happen was the separation of the court system from the Ministry of Justice, making it independent and free, as it was before Saddam Hussein was in power in Iraq. In any event it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, I served in a similar mission down in Haiti and had some experience there and will go to my grave as I tell everyone, marking this off as one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I've had in my life. It was a pleasure to be there, and I'm happy to be back.