Saddam Hussein sentenced to death

[Xiahou]

Read about it here.

Anyone surprised by this?

[Ronin]

that was surprising....not

[Rodion Romanovich]

Yes it was surprising that they would be the same as Saddam by handing out death penalty for those they dislike. To me it's lowering themselves to the same level as Saddam. The point of law is to stand as a mediator between the wrath of those who want revenge and those who have committed crimes just as they stand between those who haven't committed crimes and might be innocent, and between those who wish to commit crimes and those who would be their victims. Most criminals see themselves as avengers, not the starters of a conflict, which is the same feeling the judge has. Is then the judge any different from the murderer? I would have thought life sentence in prison would have been the way to judge Saddam - keeping him there for necessity and not for primitive bloodthirst of slaying what you fear and despise.

[Scurvy]

I agree, it was not a fair trial, what kind of example does that set to the rest of the world?

I don'y know what the fair punishment would be (i'm against the death penalty, but in this case can see why many people worldwide would see it as neccessary. ) IMO i think life sentance is better, but thats debatable.

Yes, Saddam did some terrible things, but his trial has been a complete farce, with the verdict never in doubt, and no real evidence given in his defence etc.

Saddam has infact gaine from the trials uselessness (if thats a word) with his outbursts making headlines and generally fuelling the anger and sectarian violence in Iraq.

My other worry is that the US (+ allies) will try to use Saddams death as propoganda ("o' look, we'v killed Saddam, mission success)

[Ronin]

I agree, it was not a fair trial, what kind of example does that set to the rest of the world?

I don'y know what the fair punishment would be (i'm against the death penalty, but in this case can see why many people worldwide would see it as neccessary. ) IMO i think life sentance is better, but thats debatable.

Yes, Saddam did some terrible things, but his trial has been a complete farce, with the verdict never in doubt, and no real evidence given in his defence etc.

Saddam has infact gaine from the trials uselessness (if thats a word) with his outbursts making headlines and generally fuelling the anger and sectarian violence in Iraq.

My other worry is that the US (+ allies) will try to use Saddams death as propoganda ("o' look, we'v killed Saddam, mission success)

wanna bet some money that he gets executed just before the next US presidential election?

[Scurvy]

wanna bet some money that he gets executed just before the next US presidential election?

[Major Robert Dump]

Who is Saddam is he one of those Menendez brothers I thought he already had a trial?????

[King Henry V]

Finally. The whole thing was an absolute farce. We all know that he did it, so the trial was just a complete charade. And to think people actually got killed because of this charade is absolutely horrendous. They should just have put a bullet through his head when they caught him and say that "he was trying to escape", just like they did with his two sons. Then none of this "If you find him guilty, they will be much more violence in Iraq" crêpe. Now, the US have got themselves into a pickle: imprison him and he remains a living symbol for the terrorists and there is the chance of him escaping/being freed if he is imprisoned in Iraq, which would probably have been the case. Then again, kill him and he becomes a martyr. Like I said, it would have been so much better to shoot him when they found him.

[Ronin]

Finally. The whole thing was an absolute farce. We all know that he did it, so the trial was just a complete charade. And to think people actually got killed because of this charade is absolutely horrendous. They should just have put a bullet through his head when they caught him and say that "he was trying to escape", just like they did with his two sons. Then none of this "If you find him guilty, they will be much more violence in Iraq" crêpe. Now, the US have got themselves into a pickle: imprison him and he remains a living symbol for the terrorists and there is the chance of him escaping/being freed if he is imprisoned in Iraq, which would probably have been the case. Then again, kill him and he becomes a martyr. Like I said, it would have been so much better to shoot him when they found him.

well...but then if he was shot when trying to "escape" wouldn´t he still be a martyr for his supporters?

[King Henry V]

Perhaps, but not as much as he is going to be now with this big execution business. Or they could have just dumped his body somewhere or buried it, end off. Of course, they wouldn't have been able to do the whole "We've got Saddam!" PR coup, but with hindsight it would hav been the best thing.

[Devastatin Dave]

Let him swing...

(worst part of the obvious attempt of starting a flamewar edited out by Ser Clegane)

I know that liberals eveywhere will be in great mourning since they've tried everything possible to save this man, but take solice in the fact that there are still plenty of cute cuddly murdering dictators to have worship.

[KukriKhan]

from Xiahou's linked article: "... The death sentences automatically go to a nine-judge appeals panel, which has unlimited time to review the case. If the verdicts and sentences are upheld, the executions must be carried out within 30 days.

A court official told The Associated Press that the appeals process was likely to take three to four weeks once the formal paperwork was submitted.

So, 2007 sometime, or later, for final action.

[Del Arroyo]

If they had never found Sadaam people over there would still be afraid of him. His psychological grip on the nation was immense. By humiliating him, we have broken it.

As far as execution, "live by the sword, die by the sword". I also find it beyond oblivious that anyone should object to killing such a violent man in a country where hundreds are dying violently every day.

He's just not a particularly relevant figure anymore.

[Kanamori]

Hanging... not a very pretty way for anyone to go, and I'm not so sure that they'll have it high enough to break his neck, but he certainly wasn't known for his pretty ways.

I'd actually bet that Saddam was surprised to hear that he'd get the death penalty. It seems that totalitarians play as many mind games w/ themselves as they do on they're people terrifying and torturing them.


I'd be thinking the same thing as that kid: "Don't get so excited ya shoot me w/ that, idiot."
...On a totally related note.

[Tribesman]

quote of edited post

You see Dave it just happened that the Euro pussies were too busy laughing about the stream of right wing american gay sex scandals .
Oh and in case you hadn't noticed western civilised nations don't string people up anymore , we leave that nonsense for tin-pot regimes to continue until they see sense .

take solice in the fact that there are still plenty of cute cuddly murdering dictators to have worship.

Yes Dave I applaud the fact that your governmeent has an unblemished record when it comes to getting all cute and cuddly with murdering dictators Including just by some strange coincidence the one that this topic is about .

You really should take your medication Dave .

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

I agree, it was not a fair trial.

My other worry is that the US (+ allies) will try to use Saddams death as propoganda ("o' look, we'v killed Saddam, mission success)

Oh please, was he fair to all the Kurds and villages he destroyed? killing hundreds of people.

And I don't think Saddam matters to America anymore, they're focused more on Osama Bin Laden. I mean Saddam isn't even news anymore.

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

I think they should kill him by the way he lived, either gun squad or gas

[rory_20_uk]

I thought that hanging is a (relatively) pleasant way to go, if done properly. Quick, painless and reliable.

If Iraq tears itself apart over this, so be it. Their court convicted him.

[Ser Clegane]

Attempts to use this topic to make insults and/or start a flamewar will not be tolerated

Countering forum rules violations by other violations is also not acceptable. Don't let yourself be dragged into flamewars.

Thanks

Ser Clegane

[Ice]

Good.

[Lemur]

As another poster said, there was zero question about his guilt, but it's a shame that his trial couldn't have more gravitas. The whole thing feels a bit kangaroo-court, which is too bad. Evil, murdering madmen should be smacked down by the full dignity and majesty of the law. Then they can swing.

Anybody care to make a prediction of how this will or won't affect the insurgency?

[Ronin]

Oh please, was he fair to all the Kurds and villages he destroyed? killing hundreds of people.

And I don't think Saddam matters to America anymore, they're focused more on Osama Bin Laden. I mean Saddam isn't even news anymore.

The guy was guilty as hell.....that doesn´t change the fact that what went on was not a fair trial....

as for not mattering to america....I think the US administration will try to make him matter a great much....because then can put him up on the "win" column while Osama is god knows were.

[lancelot]

Not sure how I feel about this verdict...dont like the guy and he certainly deserves it but this kinda seems to make a mockery of the judicial process.

Did anyone else find it weird that (at least in the UK) media coverage of this seemed to dry up, then suddenly out of the blue...wham- he is guilty!

He is supposedly guilty of killing a bunch of people in an Iraqi town...but isnt the Iraqi ''justice system'' and how they deal with assasinations or whatever else is going on within Iraq their business?

Does a foreign power have the right to invade, oust the legitimate government and then put him on trial for how they deal with their own internal affairs? This seems to be setting a very dangerous precident...

[Kralizec]

Finally. The whole thing was an absolute farce. We all know that he did it, so the trial was just a complete charade. And to think people actually got killed because of this charade is absolutely horrendous. They should just have put a bullet through his head when they caught him and say that "he was trying to escape", just like they did with his two sons. Then none of this "If you find him guilty, they will be much more violence in Iraq" crêpe. Now, the US have got themselves into a pickle: imprison him and he remains a living symbol for the terrorists and there is the chance of him escaping/being freed if he is imprisoned in Iraq, which would probably have been the case. Then again, kill him and he becomes a martyr. Like I said, it would have been so much better to shoot him when they found him.

This post reminds me of Winston Churchil, arguing against the Neurenberg tribunal (before it actually existed)
His arguments were fairly the same, and he felt they should just shoot every Nazi that occupied a high position and get done with it.
Stalin was in favour of a tribunal, but we all can all guess what sort of tribunal he envisioned.
Roosenvelt and his successor Truman favoured war tribunals, and this eventually persuaded the British as well.

While "History is written by the victors" is a reasonably accurate cliche, I think that if Churchills favoured method was used, there'd be a lot more nazi-sympathizers right now. Just because the guilt of the Nazis was obvious back then doesn't mean it will be so for all future generations.

[King Henry V]

The trial was a farce already. God knows how long it would have gone on for if "the law" had been respected to the letter. The fact is no trial can be truly fair when everyone knows the verdict beforehand.

[Brenus]

Oops, few days before US elections, hazards of the calendar…

Now, the guy was guilty. And I don’t think most of the insurgents are actually fighting in the name of Saddam. I think they don’t care. Dead, it will be useful, alive he is a liability. As soon he will be hanged, he will become a true leader of the Arab cause; let’s forget crimes, Halabjah and the Kurdish villages made piles of stones. Within 10 years after his death, the entire Arab world even the Kuwaiti (err, perhaps not them) will celebrate his memory, of the guy who said no to the US and died.
Spare his life; sent him in a cell and let him died of natural causes, he is more an actual ally in the US war than an opponents. At least, he is still a reminded for the Iraqis what was before. Some optimistic still think things are better now.

His death will be a major mistake. Well, not the US has shown a great deal of management in all this Iraqi adventure, but it could be time to think.

And, of course, the court was not impartial and not fair. However, even if it would, it would have change nothing to the fact he was guilty...

[Samurai Waki]

The Trial is a farce, we should've transported him to The Hague, like we do with most world leaders

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TrialSaddam.jpg

this cracked me up

[GoreBag]

Anybody care to make a prediction of how this will or won't affect the insurgency?

At the least, it won't change. It certainly won't get any better, considering how the whole thing stinks of bogusness. Besides, anyone who thinks that this about Saddam seeing justice is fooling themself; this is all politics, one country capturing another country's figurehead and destroying him. I read the article and the only that enters my mind is the US government screaming to the world, "Look at my hyooooj baaaalls!"

[Prince of the Poodles]

And he goes the way of the Nazis... good riddance, and hopefully they'll put his execution on pay per view.