Let us not kid ourselves. That Saddam Hussein has been sentensed to death only represents to the families of the 148 shias in Dujail, Iraq justice – and even then, I think, only to a certain extent. For them, I’m sure, the verdict means that the world has known that Saddam did it and since he has been sentensed to death, they have been validated.
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Firing Squad, please. Hangman’s noose is for sissies
But his sentensing to death by the Iraqi court means little to the various levels of conflict in Iraq. It is even likely to make it worse. That there were protests in Sunni areas says to me that Saddam Hussein is still leader of a certain constituent group of people and that he still retains some level of support.
This therefore means that executing Saddam, whether under the hangman’s noose or (as he wishes) in front of a military firing squad may mean more trouble in Iraq. The Jihaddist attacks are unlikely, in my view to be changed by anything at all, because of the fact that they are driven by fundamentalists.
The communal attacks and the national insurgency have a stronger bearing of the national fabric of Iraq’s future and these are likely to be made worse if he is executed.
Perhaps the worst thing about the whole trial is that justice may have been done, but for many it has not been seen to be done. The hand of George W. Bush and America was seen to often and too close to it for it not to seem as a victor’s justice, which make no mistake is warped justice.
There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein is guilty of the Dujail killings and more, much more. There is no doubt that he deserves to die for his transgressions if that there is the worst that you can do.
But at what cost? Is it better to allow Iraq to heal first? Will Iraq heal better and faster with Saddam out of the way? Only time will tell.The rest of the world really just has to keep in mind that nothing has really changed. George W. Bush is still a cock-up – maybe one of the worst the world has had. He led the sympathetic world into Iraq and Afganistan, kicking and screaming though, in search of weapons of mass destruction and these were never found.
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71% of Europeans believe that George W. Bush is a threat to world peace and stability. They have a point.
Other relevant tit-bits
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=149832
http://www.localnewswatch.com/jordanfalls/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=22772
http://news.google.co.ke/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/6-0&fp=454e69607ae1142f&ei=UnZORaTdILX8wQGQ26m_BQ&url=http%3A//www.dnaindia.com/report.asp%3FNewsID%3D1062383&cid=1110886568
http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/11/05/sunday-talking-head-thread-29/
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=72195