Saddam Hussein

[Mr Blue Sky]

Well, do we believe justice has been served? I've seen the entire execution footage, it would appear he didn't suffer. There was taunting from the on-lookers, which I think was a bit unfair, irregardless of who the criminal was.

I think it was for the best to have him hanged. My only critiscism is that he's now a martyr. He even remarked to his brothers something like "I don't mind being killed by my enemies, at least I will die a martyr."

I was thinking of starting a new thread for this but many of the 'political' contributors seem to have left for the time being at least.

Well, as I said earlier in the thread I was initially in favour of this when the sentence was passed but the manner in which it was done leaves me feeling very uncomfortable. The images of masked men in leather jackets ushering him to his death reminded me of the horrible footage of Ken Bigley and other people who have been 'executed' by extremist groups.

I still think it was the right thing to do as it will prevent the possibility of any future kidnappings (possibly of high-profile westerners) with the captors demanding Saddam's release. The aftermath doesn't appear to have been *quite* as bad as I feared, although predictably there has been an increase in violence.

I'm pleased the US/UK has played down the significance of this and not been triumphalist in any way. We are, after all, a long long way from any kind of stability in that region.

[dorianblue]

I voted no, because I'm against capital punishment, and like Rob feel frustrated that they hanged the old man before he could implicate his former chums in Washington. It's the trial I'm concerned about, rather than the sentence; it was heavily censored. It would have been nice had it been held in The Hague, but apparently they only use that court when the national government concerned can't hold it.

BN makes a good point though, about the dangers of keeping him alive. I hadn't really thought of it that way. I was more thinking along the "You'll make him a martyr!" lines. That was probably inevitable anyway as BN says, especially since it has transpired that Saddam was probably the most dignified person in the execution chamber, in the end.

Also, did you hear President Bush's incredibly bland reaction to the news? "Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain, and defend itself." How, exactly?

[Amber]

No.

I am strongly against the death penalty and I don't think anyone deserves it. No matter what they have done.

[Rodge]

No.

I am strongly against the death penalty and I don't think anyone deserves it. No matter what they have done.

Very well said. What gives anyone the right to make that decision about someone elses life.

[Moon-Crane]

Another no. There's not one human being alive on Earth who has the right to say who should live or die, no matter what they have done.

Although i have no doubt he inflicted some pretty inhumane acts upon his 'own' people, it gave no right to the 'West' to become the World police. As much as we don't like it, there was a different way of life there, with which I feel we had no right to interfere. I'd call some of the things Bush, Blair, etc, have done tantamount to criminal too, hence we have unrest with other middle-eastern nations painted as extremist terrorists creating a Muslim uprising. I'm sure we'd get pretty uppity if the Middle Eastern nations sent troops over to 'arrest' Mr Bush and Mr Blair, for perceived criminal acts.

It's too late now, so we'll have to sit back and see what seeds we've sown.