Former President of Iraq is sentenced to death:
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced Sunday to death by hanging for war crimes in the 1982 killings of 148 people in the town of Dujail, as the former leader, trembling, shouted “God is great!”
As he, his half brother and another senior official in his regime were convicted and sentenced to hang, Saddam yelled out, “Long live the people and death to their enemies. Long live the glorious nation, and death to its enemies!”
Though a dictator he was, merciless in his reign, I feel a hint of pity for him. From my point of view, life imprisonment would suffice. A little show of mercy would have been more powerful as an example than a simple act of revenge.
5 replies on “[945] Of Saddam Hussein’s verdict”
Merry Christmas :)
Of all the atrocity committed against humanity, Saddam Hussein’s is possibly one of the milder ones. A lot of other more serious offenders have escape without a scratch. On the top of my mind, I can think of a few… I’m sure you can to.
What is unfortunate is that Saddam Hussein is a victim of a larger atrocity against humanity. Although I am not saying that Saddam Hussein is innocent but his crime seems like child play compared to some others.
Serves him right for having weapons of mass destruction…..
Oh wait, the US couldn’t find any ;p
But this is about plain and simple revenge, if you will pardon me for saying so. The presiding judge’s village was at the receiving end of Saddam’s wrath during his time in power. Of course, showing him clemency would have been, as you so put it, “more powerful as an example”. But would either clemency or execution could have staunched the river of blood that sprung from a town known as Karbala 1400+ years ago?
I sincerely doubt it.
Expect some disgruntled Muslims to make some noise because of Israel.