Saddam Hussein may have been Satan himself, but the United States and the new Iraqi regime have, by executing him, only shown themselves to be vengeful thugs.
If we wish to break from humanity’s violent past and have any hope for a peaceful world then no one or ones can be allowed to execute others, no matter what the justification.
Was his execution legal?
Some people are asking whether he received a fair trial. This is irrelevant. Let’s imagine that 100 per cent of voters polled agreed that it was fair. Does that justify the execution of one individual by another? Never.
Were all the forms filled out in triplicate?
Was his execution legal? Were all the forms filled out in triplicate and signed by all relevant bureaucrats? Who cares. Legality is not the ultimate determiner of what is right and wrong.
Could there be a more ridiculous question?
Was his execution humane? Was he cold on his way over to the gallows? Did he have a good last meal? Was he comfortable right up to the moment when the masked executioners snapped his neck and danced around him in joy? Could there be a more ridiculous question?
Anyone who values life must be appalled whenever any life is taken, be it by a murderer or an executioner. The finality of it is shocking and the perpetration of it by a fellow human being is outrageous.
Do executions win hearts and minds?
Will Saddam Hussein’s execution bring peace to Iraq and victory for the United States?
I’d like to know how our leaders think this will work for the US in the war on terror. Do executions win hearts and minds? Do executions heal differences and rivalries? Do executions help the moderates on both sides find common ground? Will Saddam Hussein’s execution bring peace to Iraq and victory for the United States?
What about the right of Iraqis to come to terms with the crimes committed against them by Saddam Hussein? What about their right to discover the fate of their disappeared and murdered loved ones? To discover who is responsible and why? A truth commission is central to the recovery of a nation from a violent dictatorship. The execution of Saddam Hussein has destroyed a critical resource for any such project.
Would a true Christian really approve?
US leaders like to use Christian imagery in their words, but what about in their deeds?
US leaders like to use Christian imagery in their words, but what about in their deeds? Would a true follower of Christ approve of state-sanctioned killing? Of course not. Jesus preached love and forgiveness. Jesus, as he suffered the death penalty, proclaimed “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Are these the words of a punisher?
Would sparing him have been a sign of weakness?
Finally, its pathetic that while we serve Hussein up for lynching by his enemies, the authorities will not allow the hanging itself to be recorded or broadcast. Even after the release of the show-all cell phone footage, the US corporate media still hides the graphic truth from us. Would the good Christian families of the Heartland have their sensibilities offended? Probably – and it would be a good thing.
Another senseless act of destruction
Another senseless act of destruction and revenge has been added to the list of US atrocities. What’s next?
