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Saddam is Dead

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 09:11:47 PM EST
Tags: Saddam Hussein (all tags)
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Arab TV reports Saddam Hussein was executed ten minutes ago.

U.S. military deaths in Iraq hit 2,993 today.

Saddam's death won't bring one of them back.

< Saddam Execution Countdown | Should Saddam Have Been Hanged? >

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    Saddam is Dead | 20 comments (20 topical)

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    "They'll be pleased with that." (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by dutchfox on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 09:23:20 PM EST
    This all reminds me of the Live Hanging sketch in The Day Today, with the 1950's commentator in his suit:

    "And yes, yes... the lights have gone out... it's a good clean drop!"
    "There's the hanging. Well done, well done. They'll be pleased with that."

    Considering how much the US interferred and 'helped' them with their new constitution, the fact this trial was conducted under that new constitution, and the fact defence lawyers were killed, the judge changed on the orders of the Government, there's loads of reasons to disagree with it as well as the obvious moral issues.

    And it's frankly laughable to talk about Iraq's rights as it's own country after we invaded a sovereign state!

    Typo - 2,993 (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 09:38:32 PM EST
    Sixty more killed than you reported. May they be the last.

    thanks, I fixed it (none / 0) (#4)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 09:52:39 PM EST


    Parent
    Gabe (5.00 / 4) (#10)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 30, 2006 at 12:23:15 AM EST
    Little good can be said of Saddam Hussein except that he loved his family. The rest of his days seemed filled with bigotry, racism, sexism, immorality, and crime.

    Well just one fact to point out is that women had many more rights in Iraq than in most other nations of the region prior to the invasion. Saddam was actually quite secular when it came to social freedoms. That is why Bin Laden, et al, denounced his regime. Baghdad University was very co ed, and graduated a significant number of professionals annually during his reign.

    But we fed Saddam's megalomania with weapons, because he fought the Iranians, who had pi*ed us off with their revolution, and subsequent embassy hostage siege. We may not have created this monster, but we sure as he* nurtured him. His anthrax came from US. His nerve gas precursors could never have been allowed to be sold to him without the approval of our government. The targeting images used to drop that nerve gas were taken by our satellites. With not one bit of concern for what he was doing to his own people.

    Over the last twenty-five years, the people of Iraq have suffered a holocaust.

    It's that simple.

    They suffered political repression under a tyrant. War all through the 80's. War again in 1990. A decade of sanctions (toothpaste is on the UN list) and further bombings (google Al Amariya 2/14/91)), all culminating in an invasion and failed occupation. The failure of our government to "liberate" the people of Iraq (the subject of many future books) has led to civil war.

    Tens of millions of Iraqis have suffered from these events. From Kurds, to Shiites, and now every one. We have not solved their problem.

    We have only changed the face of their suffering.

    Good true words Che. (none / 0) (#11)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 30, 2006 at 04:54:28 AM EST
    And well said. Unfortunately I think they are wasted on Gabe. But maybe some understanding will slowly dawn in someone else from them....

    Parent
    Whew! (1.00 / 4) (#2)
    by ProgressiveRick on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 09:35:04 PM EST
    Glad that's over. I'll sleep better tonight knowing that for once, justice has been reached.

    Oh, I liked that comment complaining that this was done under the NEW Iraq constitution. Good luck for Saddam that it was... wonder what is worse, hanging or slowly disolving by acid?

    Bye Bye Saddam.

    Difficulty (2.00 / 4) (#6)
    by Gabriel Malor on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 10:05:17 PM EST
    Opposed as I am, generally, to the death penalty, I cannot feel enthusiastic over Saddam Hussein's death when I believe that quiet imprisonment would do. I'm even less enthused by those who've waited breathlessly for the video. But those who're questioning the process of this trial seem to be ignoring the purpose of a justice system.

    Courts are created to discover guilt and assign punishment. There are few who question Saddam Hussein's guilt. And as disgusted as we may be over a punishment of hanging, it should suprise no one that, as a common sanction in the Middle East, Saddam Hussein was fitted for a noose.

    I'm also a little skeptical at the elevation of process over consequences, coming as it does when Saddam Hussein's lawyers grasp at any straws presented to them. I don't want to belittle the need for a fair system of justice. But it's difficult to believe that this trial, as a one-time event, has imperiled the system of justice in Iraq.

    As a matter of historical moment, the death of Saddam Hussein will probably be seen as the close of terrible chapter in the history of the Middle East. Little good can be said of Saddam Hussein except that he loved his family. The rest of his days seemed filled with bigotry, racism, sexism, immorality, and crime. In the midst of our discussions about fairness and consequences and barbarism, we should recall that he was a despicable human being.

    Parent

    The CLOSE of a terrible chapter??? (5.00 / 3) (#7)
    by Dadler on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 10:31:07 PM EST
    With all due f*cking respect, what acid have you been dropping.  How many tens and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have been murdered, tortured, maimed, had their heads aerated with drills, have been displaced, in the last four years?  You have got to be young to say something as completely lacking in perspective.  This execution will do NOTHING to end any chapter except one individual's life.  Meanwhile, the murderous chaos we've initiated will continue unabated and most likely worsen.

    I mean, for heaven's sake, Saddam's chapter seems almost merry compared to the utter chaos we've brought.  More gruesom acts and none of the "stability".

    Good God, it's the end of a chapter in middle east history.  Are you aware we're supporting an unpopular dictator in Pakistan, warlords in Afghanistan, butchers in former soviet republics, and on and on???

    We continue to f*ck up and show not a whit of imagination.  We have pissed on our freedom and abused it and neglected it and taken it for granted, we stroke our tiny cocks and stuff our fat walled, and turn that all into someone else's nightmare far, far away.

    Parent

    That last line should read... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Dadler on Fri Dec 29, 2006 at 10:33:37 PM EST
    "and stuff our fat wallets..."

    Parent
    Regarding "stroke.." (1.00 / 3) (#13)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 30, 2006 at 09:51:08 AM EST
    Speak for yourself, dadler..

    And could you tell me about our fat wallets?? Last time I checked the Left was screaking that the war was going to bankrupt the country...

    BTW - Note the word "war." Iraq is just a battle in that war. A war you had better hope that we win.

    Parent

    you miss the point again (5.00 / 3) (#15)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 30, 2006 at 11:36:40 AM EST
    we are five percent of the world and consume an immoral share of its resources and produce an even more immoral share of pollution.

    if you try to refute that, your head is in the sand.

    and if you can't see all the waste in your own house, i can't help you.  simply go to a grocery store, look at all the unnecessary packaging, as an example, then go figure out how much has to be destroyed so we can have shopping bags, or detergent boxes, or whatever.

    are you saying we can't do infinitely better than we are in terms of squandering resources?  are you saying America just isn't capable?  are you saying we couldn't, say, make people bring their own containers to put stuff in?  and that's just one little example.

    Parent

    The consumpation of (none / 0) (#16)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 30, 2006 at 11:42:53 PM EST
    a material may be unwise, but is