Do you think they'll really hang Saddam?

I don't see it happening either. Too many people still love him regardless of his past crimes.

Yes, I think they will execute him in 30 day and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if they make it a public execution and they televise it. (Maybe not here, but I bet anyone who wants to see it will be able to on the internet)

He is a horrible evil man but the whole thing gives me a queasy feeling.

I am afraid those terrorist Sadaam lovers will flip out and do more weird stuff.

I think I would have gone more for life in prison.

I agree

Guess we'll have to wait and hear

I don't know if he will be hanged but my feeling is that he will be.

I also feel that he deserves to be hanged, as does anyone with a record of crimes against humanity like his.

I also believe very strongly in a fair and consistent legal system. I know nothing about his trial but I would hope that it was conducted in a fair way. We all know he is guilty, but that doesn't give us the excuse to run his trial however we want without the same rights we would accord anyone on trial.

Life imprisonment is difficult, as it is a drain on government funding and many services. However, in the hope that it would cause more suffering for him, I would probably want him to be imprisoned for life - that way he can be fully conscious at all times that there is punishment for your sins and that you cannot get away with doing what he did. Too many of our world's leaders, now and in the past, have got away with crimes against humanity, and are blithely going on living happy, free lives in spite of that.

But I believe that the attitude of those who hold his custody and will decide his fate is one of making a stand, presenting a show of strength, and zero tolerance. Therefore I believe that he will be hanged, although in terms of possible consequences, he perhaps should not be.

Unfortunately, again, too many of our world's leaders act first and then think afterwards, the consequences of which we are seeing on a daily basis. I hope that is not the case with Saddam Hussein.

It's hard to see. Their law states that he only has 1 chance for appeal. If death is still sentenced then he has 30 days to live.

I personally was surprised that he appealed so quickly. I thought he would've taken a little longer.

The same question about execution could be brought up if and when Osama is captured (if he hasn't been captured or killed already). What would you do with him? If he is executed he becomes a "martyr" for whatever "cause" it is that his followers have. If we do indeed have him then I don't really want to know if we do or not. I would hope that he's shoved in a hole someplace to never, ever see the light of day.

With Saddam I feel that he deserves to be executed for his crimes. While I hope that the sentence is carried out I also wonder if it would be the right thing to do considering that it could cause the insurgency to flare up even further and may even incite more violence between the Iraqis themselves. Not a decision that I would want to make.

Now, I could be wrong on this... but I was watching CNN this morning and I thought they said the government might decide to stay his execution because there is currently another trial against him that they've been working on for years (I don't think they said what it was.... but I might have just not heard it) So even if they do decide to put him to death, there is a possibility that it will be more than 30 days.... and would take place whenever the second trial is over.

But at this point that's just hearsay because I haven't looked up any articles on it to prove to myself that I really heard what I thought I heard

I sure hope they do.

He deserves to be executed as do ALL those who commit war crimes (eg Pinochet) I don't get this picking and choosing, they should ALL be tried and if found guilty executed. Whatever happened to consistency?

I too hope he had a fair trial.

I'm not sure if they'll hang him or not. The country is divided, & IMO, hanging him is going to make things a million times worse.

I couldn't agree more.

However, there are many, many camps who believe that President Bush has committed war crimes. Whilst I do not know enough to comment either way, it is a school of thought that is gaining momentum. I can hardly believe that many would lay down to agree to have him executed - because if he is guilty of war crimes (and again, I am repeating the opinions of others here, not stating my own) then they are not as obvious and in-your-face as those of other leaders such as Hussein, Pinochet, Milosevic and so forth.

Usually it takes very obvious genocides, killings, tortures, murders and other such atrocities before someone is agreed to have committed war crimes - which, unfortunately, means many, many leaders have managed to get away with it by doing it more subtly and being lucky enough to be in power in more Western cultures.

It also depends on the country/body of people that does the trial. If they do not support capital punishment, then life imprisonment it is. Unless others intervene of course.

Does President bush fit into the equation?

Abbycats: Yes, Bush does.

If I wasn't such a cynic I would be pleased to see Saddam hang. He's right up there with Stalin. And Bush is right beside both of them. However, if you think the Middle East is a powder keg now, see what happens if they DO hang him. I hope stupid Bush brings our boys and girls home before the hanging happens. We will get a whole new meaning to the words "Blood Bath". However, being a cynic, I think I know better and they will NOT hang him. Mind you, they may put him in prison and then quietly do away with him, but to make him a public martyr? He has already said he "will offer himself as a sacrifice". You MUST be joking.

Lol. Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks this way (even though I was too scared to come right out and say it in my post above). I made the mistake of saying something a little too inflammatory about Bush a few months ago in this forum and virtually got lynched for it!

But I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised that I'm not alone. I believe in the future Bush will be viewed in historical terms most definitely alongside some of the most despised world leaders, including ones you have mentioned such as Stalin, Pinochet and yes, Saddam himself.

people like you make me sick. you have soooooo little understanding of world events or history. Please pack your bags move to germany during 1940's and put a star on. or move to post war russia. Then maybe you would really understand.but until then,Go learn.

You can agree or disagree with the war that is fine. you can like bush or not. I am not a fan of bush but statements like that are about as crazy as saying all muslims are evil. People seem to think war is pretty, its not. People die. Men, women, kids. Its just the way it is. But i dont see people being forced into gas showers to die. Oh wait i bet you even think that did not happen right?

How does the holocaust fit in to this? Are you speaking of the nazi's that were hung for their war crimes? What makes you think that President Bush is not guilty of war crimes?


I grew up during the vietnam war, and war is not pretty. My husband was drafted in 1968 and went to war to fight a war that had no purpose. That was also a very ugly war.. Innocent Women and children were killed there. But as you stated "Thats just the way it is"

A gas shower, a bullet in your head, or torturing innocent people to death it's all WRONG. The end result is the same.

Don't tell me to move to another country. I pay taxes just like you and I don't believe in war and killing of innocent people like President Bush is doing, he is just as guilty of war crimes.

Friends, the remarks are tending toward the personal. Please let's not go there. Thanks.

That's a little harsh. I would think that to make an educated comment about Bush and his administration does show knowledge of world events and history. I also feel that by referring to mainstream things like the holocaust, you are showing an ignorance of world history, because there is a lot more bubbling under the surface than the stuff even children know about.

Like I said earlier, to some people, war crimes only consists of the really obvious stuff, like what you have mentioned. I don't think that anyone was talking about the war in Iraq. That really doesn't need to be talked about anyway, it speaks for itself. If you look closely into `world events and history' you will see that Bush actually does fit the profile of many a war criminal - just because he hasn't necessarily done anything obvious enough to warrant notice by people who have made comments such as the one I quote above, and others who do not like to look under the surface.

No, my opinion (and I would hazard a guess of that of the others who have posted like sentiments), is far broader-ranging than one war. And is based on a keen interest and understanding of world events and history.

Displaying Saddam Hussein on television whilst he was a prisoner of war was a breach of the Geneva Convention. That's a war crime. What happened and is happening in Guantanamo Bay, some of which was posted on the internet for all the world to see, are war crimes. It's not just gas chambers and genocide. Far from it.

Personally, I feel that they should have just chucked a grenade down the spider hole he was hiding in like the coward he truly is and been done with him then and there.

Bryan

According to some news reports, Saddam will most probably be hanged tonight or tomorrow.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6217725.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/...rss_topstories
http://news.bostonherald.com/interna...ticleid=174363

He will likely be hanged (and perhaps soon it sounds like). I think it's up for grabs as to whether the trial was fair or not... the judges were from a clan that Saddam murdered. Saddam also murdered a few of the defense lawyers and other people during the trial.

I am strongly against the death penalty and revenge, and hanging is definitely an inhumane way to go about it. I'd prefer life imprisonment. But it's not in our hands; I say let the Iraqis decide what to do with him.

As for Bush and war crimes, well, I do believe Bush has done and allowed some incredibly stupid and horrible things as well. I think it will take a few decades for people to admit he was an awful president. Torture of detainees, detainment without proof, going to war under shaky evidence, etc... you can't get much worse than that. Not to mention allowing Iraq devolve into violence to an extent worse than was seen with Saddam...

Wow, is that ever insulting, on so many levels. Who has ever said that war is "pretty?" And no, you haven't seen people forced into gas showers to die in this war. Instead, you've seen people locked away in jails where they have no rights and where they haven't even had a trial. You've seen a country divided against itself over where its leadership is headed. You've seen the Powers That Be wire-tapping civilians because they might have terrorist leanings. Atrocities happen all over the place and in a variety of ways. It's ridiculous to assume that none of us are aware of what happened in previous wars -- some of us have lived through other wars, some of us have had family members fight in said wars, and some of us have lost loved ones because of said wars. It's also ridiculous to assume that we don't know what's happening in this war, or to try to pretend that what's happening now isn't also atrocious. I would argue that pretty much every single person who posts in the IMO forum is keenly -- perhaps even painfully -- aware of world events. Just because we don't all view these events in the same light doesn't mean our knowledge or comprehension is any less valuable.

I also can't help but notice that when someone gives a disparaging view of President Bush, or the war in Iraq, or the US's current policies, they're told to pack their bags and move to another country. "Land of the free" indeed. (I realize that TheImp's comment was more along the lines of "You should learn what it was like during other wars" rather than "Get the heck outta the US, you traitorous scum!" but I've heard the "like it or leave" comment often enough to bristle every time it comes up.)

As to the original topic ... Yes, I think they might very well hang Hussein, and to be honest, I feel very conflicted about it. It's not that I don't think he's innocent or undeserving -- although I am personally opposed to the death penalty, I'm enough of a hypocrite to make an exception in his case. However, I believe his death would be extremely risky. He becomes a martyr, his followers will have all the more reason to act violently (as if they didn't believe themselves to have enough reason to begin with!), and there is still the matter of his second trial to consider. Would the victims of the crimes addressed in his second trial feel cheated of their justice -- because they will never have a chance to have their own wrongs addressed -- or would they feel that the first trial was enough? (Sort of like how, if a serial killer dies in prison before coming to trial, in many cases his victims don't feel closure because they were "cheated" of his death.) So, I don't know how to feel, because it goes against my personal beliefs to be supportive of his death, and yet ... I am.

Really? I never heard about that! How did he manage that, being in prison and all? I don't disbelieve you - it's just that I never saw it talked about before this.

BTW - Nice post Mirinae!

Just airing a thought....I'm afraid that the so called "lack of reaction" by the insurgents is just from them thinking that the US and the Iraqi government will lose their nerve and not go through with an execution. If he is hanged tonight, like they seem to be determined to do...I'm afraid that tomorrow will be a whole other story.

Good god... Any reason to bash Bush, huh? Here I thought this thread was about Saddam Hussein. I should have known better. THAT makes me sick.

But, back to the actual topic of the thread Iraq tried him. The sovereign country of Iraq, with their elected officials, in an actual court. Far cry from being take from your home in the middle of the night, tortured and killed, and buried in a mass grave. That's what happened under Saddam's rule. Quite a change in justice. In their sovereign country, in their courts, they tried and convicted him and sentenced him for crimes committed in their country. Since they did sentence him to death, carrying out the sentence goes pretty far in showing that they are truly ruling their own country.