Have been watching news reports of the execution of Saddam Hussein. I'm not sure that execution was the right solution. Perhaps life imprisonment was more appropriate. I suppose that the latter option posed too many security risks in the minds of those in control. I also doubt the pro-execution ex-governor of Texas will be too concerned.
Apparently Saddam appealed to the Arab/Sunni Islamic constituency at his execution with the call of 'God is Great' and by references to Palestine being for Arabs. Perhaps the West has made a martyr today. It remains to be seen if there is any backlash from Saddam's personal supporters or from the wider Arab groupings.
One thing did make me wonder. Can a trial in Iraq have been entirely just or entirely expository, in the sense of full investigation of evidence. Was it a show trial which we will live to regret? If Saddam Hussein had been Slobodan Milosevic, i.e caucasian, would he have been placed on trial in The Hague. My fear is that evidence may not have been handled correctly even though we can be reasonably certain of Saddam Hussein's complicity in crimes against humanity.
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