Saddam Hussein Sentenced to Death

indraneil writes "Saddam Hussein has been sentenced to death along with his half brother. Three Baath party officials charged with Hussein in the killings of 148 Shiite civilians have been sentenced to 15 years in prison, while a fourth has been cleared. He is to be hanged inside 30 days from now. Saddam Hussein has been given 10 days to appeal against the decision. His lawyer has warned to a bloodbath if the sentence is carried out."

Comments

A show trial in every sense.

[arcite]

This was a show trial.

The US hand picked the judges and the sentence was a forgone conclusion.

Will Saddam get a chance to talk about how he had US support during the war with Iran? I doubt it.

Saddam shouldn't be executed he should be kept alive in a cell for the rest of his life as a lesson for the Iraqi's to learn from.

Executing Saddam will only turn him into a martyr.

Thoughts?

Re:A show trial in every sense.

[AchilleTalon]

I believe Saddam must be executed. It must be clear to his supporters there is no chance at all I could once a day be back as the Iraq President. And the page must be turn once and for all on his presidency. Everyone will have to look forward.

Saddam must be bring to death, not only for his crimes, but for what he represents as well.

And a guy who hides in a rat-hole while his country is under the fire of ennemies and believe he represents the country doesn't deserve any respect. I don't know how such a wimpy president can be turned into a martyr otherwise than by unsane reasoning.

Re:Saddam verdict on Sunday, U.S. election on Tues

[Concern]

This is the thing about the appearance of impropriety. It's an important, and formal, concept in credible court systems like those in America.

If there may be an appereance that the verdict was planned or timed, you do things to avoid even that appearance.

Such as not announcing a verdict on the weekend before the U.S. elections.

I'm not saying for sure they timed it, because I just don't know. But I do know for sure that they could have waited 3 days and changed the whole image of the thing.

Re:And?

[eneville]

and second because it's such a universally relevant piece of news that warrants thoughtful discussion.

... so why post it to slashdot?

Re:Sympathy for the Devil

[Guppy06]

"Will killing him bring back the 148 dead Shiites?"

Killing him will dash the hopes of Sunis wishing to reinstate him and letting him do it all over again. Unless he was going to be held in some prison outside of Iraq, that would always be one of the hopes of the Suni insurgents.

Did you hear his statements upon hearing the sentence? One might interpret them as his shot at martyrdom, but really they're his attempt to convince Sunis outside the courtroom to bust him out.

If the only alternative is to be held in an Iraqi prison, this is the only way to ensure he won't do it again.

Re:Yay!

[Reality Master 101]

Punish killing by killing! Go hypocrisy!

Punish kidnapping by putting someone in jail! Go hypocrisy!

ALL punishments of a criminal would be considered illegal if performed by someone on an innocent person. Therefore, by your logic, all punishing of criminals is hypocritical.

But it's not justice

[cat_jesus]

It's theatre. The court he was tried in has no legal standing over crimes that were perpetuated before the court was created. It was in every sense of the word a kangaroo court. He should have been tried in The Hague at the International Court of Justice. The problem with trying him there is that the US would lose control over the proceedings and would not be able to use the trial for their own political gain.

Re:But it's not justice

[Dunbal]

He should have been tried in The Hague at the International Court of Justice. The problem with trying him there is that the US would lose control over the proceedings and would not be able to use the trial for their own political gain.

      Not to mention the rather minor point that the US broke international law by invading Iraq in the first place.

Re:Sympathy for the Devil

[iknowcss]

Awww, look at cute wittle Adolph. His mother and father loved him dearly.

OT:Eye poking

[tomhudson]

I'm going to fucking stab you in the eye. Maybe then you'll learn.

Do not poke my eye with your spork;
Do not poke it out, you dork;
Do not poke it with a beer;
Do not poke it with a deer;
Do not poke it with your dick;
That just makes you one mean prick;
Do not poke it, it won't heal;
I'll have to call DrCowboyNeal;
Do not poke it on a train;
Do not poke it on a plane;
The DHS will suspend your right;
For poking my eye out on the flight;
Poke my eye out and you'll be;
Poked in Gitmo for E-TER-NI-T;
By some guy named Bubba who;
Will poke your 3rd eye sore boo-hoo;
So don't poke my eye out Mr. A.C.;
Or the next goat.dot.cx you'll be.

Re:Saddam verdict on Sunday, U.S. election on Tues

[Dun Malg]

This is the thing about the appearance of impropriety. It's an important, and formal, concept in credible court systems like those in America. If there may be an appereance that the verdict was planned or timed, you do things to avoid even that appearance. Such as not announcing a verdict on the weekend before the U.S. elections. I'm not saying for sure they timed it, because I just don't know. But I do know for sure that they could have waited 3 days and changed the whole image of the thing.

Such is the great conceit of Americans, to think that the legal system of a foreign country timed a verdict so as to coincide with our mid-term elections. Not much less of a conceit to suggest that they should modify their schedule so as to minimize the appearance of impropriety to a bunch of foreign conspiracy theorists.