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Posted: 10-11-2006 10:13 Post subject:

But I have a real problem with the argument that because the West has supported dictators like Saddam - not to mention the Mujahideen who would go on to become the Taliban - it's somehow all "our fault" and so the individuals who tortued, gassed and killed thousands of their own people should not be held to account.

Regardless of one's views on the death penalty, is anyone *seriously* arguing that Saddam should not have been held to account for what he did?

Posted: 10-11-2006 14:44 Post subject:

Nah, Id just like to see Bush et al being hung beside him

Posted: 10-11-2006 17:27 Post subject:

Posted: 10-11-2006 18:27 Post subject:

Posted: 11-11-2006 00:59 Post subject:

This is a terrible thing for me to say, because I opposed the war, marched against it, and I generally oppose the death penalty in all circumstances...

But in this case, I say hang the fucker. Show him as much mercy as he showed his fellow countrymen, which in this case is none at all.

Posted: 11-11-2006 13:01 Post subject:

Well, I'm opposed to the death penalty in the usual course of events - for "normal" crimes, including murder, I don't think two wrongs make a right. But, as far as I'm concerned genocide isn't a "normal" crime. Industrial scale extermination of people goes far beyond crime, and as such I'd say he deserves to die. The rest of his natural life in prison isn't going to give the likes of Saddam, or any other megalomaniac, a sudden attack of repentance. You can't rehabilitate that degree of wrong-ness.

Posted: 11-11-2006 16:53 Post subject:

I can see the argument of giving Saddam a taste of his own medicine, but I don't see the point of descending to his level. We're supposed to be better than he is. Better to let his life humiliatingly dwindle in a cell than to allow him to march proudly to the gallows and contribute to his standing amongst his followers and dangerous fanatics across the world.

Posted: 11-11-2006 16:54 Post subject:

Posted: 11-11-2006 22:50 Post subject:

I say put him in prison for life and once a month let the people come and throw rotten tomatoes and eggs at him. Now that's humiliation.

As far as the death penalty goes , it has been shown by numerous studies that it is not a deterrent.

Posted: 12-11-2006 12:38 Post subject:

I don't want the death penalty for Saddam as a "deterrent" [deterrent for what, future dictators...?], I never want death penaty as a deterrent for anyone. The reason I want to see SH hanging is simply to remove him from society for good. Even in jail he will have some appeal to his followers. He must be wiped out and life will go on. I don't care if he suffers,I don't care if he doesn't. Just get rid of him.

Posted: 12-11-2006 14:34 Post subject:

Killing him will simply make him a martyr to his supporters. Imprisoning him in Iraq is problematic, as there is no stability there - if there is a full-on civil war and no Western forces there either at some future point in time, he could be reinstated. So perhaps the best option is to imprison him somewhere outside Iraq. Others who've been found guilty of crimes against humanity have been imprisonned outside their own country, so it could also be done with him. Withering away in some prison for the rest of his life, fading out of the limelight he's enjoyed even at his trial, is IMHO much better than killing him.

Posted: 12-11-2006 16:45 Post subject:

I am opposed to the death penalty as I believe it solves nothing and the fact that people are continually found guilty of murder and in this case genocide proves it is no deterrent.

But personally I think this situation warrants the death sentence as a means of closure for a generation of people who have suffered under this tyrant.
I understand the points of making him a martyr but I have to disagree with the idea of a life sentence in exile as there is a possibility that his remaining supporters could carry out acts of terror or take hostages at a later date in an attempt to secure his release.

Posted: 12-11-2006 19:05 Post subject:

Yeah, because Iraq will be so peaceful once he's gone...

Posted: 12-11-2006 19:27 Post subject:

Posted: 12-11-2006 19:46 Post subject:

But who would let Saddam out if he was imprisoned? He's not a young man anymore, the current Iraqi authorities would rather forget about him and quite a few leaders of his cause, if they were ever really on his side, have risen to take his place. Executing him is the equivalent of poking the angry tiger with a stick.