Saddam verdict
Tags: Middle East
By: johnnyb
Don’t know if this is supposed to be some October surprise orchestrated by the administration, but it isn’t very heartening. The bump came in 2004 when Saddam was captured, there won’t be another one.
It might surprise y’all out there but I’m against the death penalty. Now Saddam will become a martyr, and not a Ceaucescu, which might have been the case if he were shipped to Elba or blown up in the spiderhole.
November 6th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
I agree that this will have zero GOP boost in this election. Noone really cares about him anymore on this side of the lake.
However, I have to disagree on the Martyr part…I have seen no evidence that many Iraqis will see his death as martyrdom. Remember this is a secular ruler.
Could be wrong, but I just don’t see anyone raising a fuss over him as a martyr. Am I wrong, here? Does it not matter that he was secular? And help me out with Ceaucesu…you mean the Romanian Communist guy? What’s the connection?
November 7th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
Well, Ceausescu’s timeline breaks down like this:
November 1989: “Re-elected” for another 5 year term.
December 17th 1989: Protests among ethnic Hungarians against Ceausescu begins.
Dec 18-20, Ceausescu visits Iran
Dec 21: Ceausescu holds a mass meeting, which was chaotic. Around the country Romanians sensed his weakness.
Dec 25: After being chased around the country, Ceausescu and his wife were caught, put on trial by the army, and shot.
The whole process took eight days. Not civilized, but an exorcism for the country. This Saddam trial, with all the pretension of civility, and all the time on the microphone given to Saddam, only emboldens the Sunnis. If he was put to death eight days after being caught, the Sunnis would have known the current government meant business, and we could have left sooner. But instead we have to go through a three year process…all to achieve the same bloody result. There is an air of schizophrenia to the whole trial.