A Sentence For Saddam

[Finster]

Saddam Hussein is scheduled to be executed tomorrow. It is not clear what purpose this would serve, particularly since - whether true or not - it would be widely seen as a US-backed kangaroo-court action. In fact it may lead to yet further pointless violence and bloodshed. Saddam's Ba'ath Party has threatened to retaliate if the ousted Iraqi leader is executed. War-crimes prosecutions are invariably political, regardless of what lengths prosecutors may undertake to give the proceedings the patina of the rule of law.

Taking a distinctly contrarian point of view, I propose instead that Saddam be sentenced to serve four more years as President of Iraq, subject to ratification by the Iraqi electorate. This could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, by also providing the US with an exit strategy that has some prospect of keeping the country from disintegrating and at the same time providing some balance to the regional extremist Islamist element.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: A Sentence For Saddam

Saddam Hussein is scheduled to be executed tomorrow. It is not clear what purpose this would serve, particularly since - whether true or not - it would be widely seen as a US-backed kangaroo-court action.

The purpose of excuting him is to kill the b#stard. Whether the court is seen as a US-backed kangaroo-court or not depends upon more than anything how whoever is speaking or writing wishes to spin it.

In fact it may lead to yet further pointless violence and bloodshed. Saddam's Ba'ath Party has threatened to retaliate if the ousted Iraqi leader is executed. War-crimes prosecutions are invariably political, regardless of what lengths prosecutors may undertake to give the proceedings the patina of the rule of law.

As crude as it makes me, my attitude has become let the fools kill one another until either they get sick of it or else there is no one else to kill. I cannot continually wring my hands over something which apparently cannot be controlled. It seems the Sunni and Shiites have long standing hatred for each other, as do many others of ethnic and religious differences around the world. So let them fight it out, which is what utlimately is going to happen anyway despite the US or the UN.

So what if war-crimes prosections are invariably political? The alternative is for society to condone it, or as some legal beagles wanted they could have taken him to the international whatever court in the Netherlands, and you know what the outcome of that would have been, don't you? He would have wound up dying of old age or illness before the court was through giving him a "fair" trial, as was the case with Slobadon Milosovich.

I heard a Kurd quoted tonight who said Saddam should receive a public excution to show the current Iraqi government what should happen to those officials who are corrupt. I thought that was a good idea, but the dude Saddam Hussein is now hanged, if one believes the news, so unfortunately the Kurd's rather good idea is opportunity now lost

Taking a distinctly contrarian point of view, I propose instead that Saddam be sentenced to serve four more years as President of Iraq, subject to ratification by the Iraqi electorate. This could kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, by also providing the US with an exit strategy that has some prospect of keeping the country from disintegrating and at the same time providing some balance to the regional extremist Islamist element.

Sorry, maybe next time.

[Finster]

Re: A Sentence For Saddam

The purpose of excuting him is to kill the b#stard.

Jim, your talent for tautology is most impressive.

Whether the court is seen as a US-backed kangaroo-court or not depends upon more than anything how whoever is speaking or writing wishes to spin it.

Given the international disdain for US Iraq policy, not least in the Arab world, how do you think it will be spun?

As crude as it makes me, my attitude has become let the fools kill one another until either they get sick of it or else there is no one else to kill. I cannot continually wring my hands over something which apparently cannot be controlled. It seems the Sunni and Shiites have long standing hatred for each other, as do many others of ethnic and religious differences around the world. So let them fight it out, which is what utlimately is going to happen anyway despite the US or the UN.

It sounds like you are condemning Saddam for practicing what you advocate.

So what if war-crimes prosections are invariably political? The alternative is for society to condone it, or as some legal beagles wanted they could have taken him to the international whatever court in the Netherlands, and you know what the outcome of that would have been, don't you? He would have wound up dying of old age or illness before the court was through giving him a "fair" trial, as was the case with Slobadon Milosovich.

War is about killing people and breaking things. What victim of such acts considers it not to be a crime?

For sure though, I am not at all suggesting another war crimes tribunal would have been more just.

Sorry, maybe next time.

Given the latest, not-terribly-surprising news, you win.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: A Sentence For Saddam

Jim, your talent for tautology is most impressive.

Thanks, Finsters. Not often do I get real compliments.;)

[Finster]

Re: A Sentence For Saddam

Thanks, Finsters. Not often do I get real compliments.;)

You're pretty cool, Jim.

... and that's a real compliment ... ;)