I was very nervous leading up to this.  We'll find out soon if I had reason to be, or not.  I am satisfied with Saddam's demise but concerned about what happens next.

From a personal perspective and all that I know about Saddam, I feel great relief that he is dead.  He didn't lead a campaign of extermination as Hitler did for reasons of hatred, but Saddam did leave behind a legacy of mass murder for reasons of absolute power.

Was Saddam's trial perfect?  Probably not.  Fair?  Maybe not.  But given his past, I'm not going to lose any sleep over his execution or the fairness of his trial.  His victims, which number anywhere from tens of thousands to millions depending on who is counting, didn't have the luxury of a trial so Saddam got more than he deserved.

On the subject of capital punishment, I can't quite join most Europeans in supporting a total ban.  I think the United States uses it way too often and in cases where I believe guilt or innocence is in question.  I think it should be reserved for the Saddams of the world - and people who commit mass murder. 

I realize that not everyone supports that view (and supports a total ban on capital punishment), and I understand why.  I respect that view, and agree with the exception of mass murderers.

Yes we invade a country because he suppose to be a tyrant and kills people for absolute power.
Yet, we vote some one (who uses a war) into absolute power in 2004 because we do not want to change course during a war.
Now 2,997 of our service people are dead, well over a hundred thousand Iraqis are dead and we say things like "I am glad he is gone".
I can not figure out who is the tyrant here.

numerous U.S. soldiers who have committed suicide in Iraq or in the U.S. as a result of their experience in Iraq.  They are not included in the 2,997.  Who will take responsibility for their deaths?  The Bush administration?

Not sure I understand the gist of your argument, but I think you can BOTH oppose Bush and the war in Iraq, while at the same time say you are "glad Saddam is gone".

Was his death worth our losses and the Iraqi civilian losses?  No way.  But I won't be apologizing for cherishing this moment.  It will probably be one of the few bright marks on this war. 

Enjoy it, because I don't think there will be many more.  I think a single guided missile could have accomplished the same thing this war has accomplished, at a much lower cost to life and property.

Saddam may have been a rotten guy, but the future of this country is bigger than Iraq. It's what we do right, and what we do wrong. Colin Powell said it best, "We broke it, we must fix it".

We must.

Our invasion and occupation of Iraq is a violation of international law. So is suggesting the assaination of a foreign leader as we saw when Robertson suggested that Chavez be assasinated.

Therefore since Saddam was executed due to both of these violations this is a violation of international law. What next? This is a disgrace since Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11. So what is he being executed for? Nothing worse than what is going on in Darfur and some other countries.

Let's face it. The execution of Saddam was for the satisfaction of Bush's perverted relationship with his Dad and his need to distract from the fact that he has ESCALATED the war on terror thus making us less secure.

This is an example of an impaired mind's "funny (peculiar, not ha-ha) justice". Both Iraq and Saddam are nothing but scapegoats for 9/11 and Bush's inability to live up to the achievements of his Dad. It's a sort of kick the dog and blow up the frog syndrome, only this is knock off the dictator and blow up the country syndrome. So who is the next target? Certainly not Bin Laden. After all, the Bin Ladens are family friends. Saddam was just a puppet.

crimes against humanity (gassing the Kurds, massacring 200,000 Shi'ites, etc., etc.).  As I said, I hope he enjoys his time in Hell.

George W. Bush may have felt a thrill of vindication as he went to bed with visions of Saddam Hussein dangling at the end of a rope, but Bush achieved something more important for the Bush Family legacy.

He silenced a unique witness who, if given the opportunity, could have testified about the roles of George H.W. Bush and other top U.S. officials in aiding and abetting Hussein's crimes against humanity.

By making sure that Hussein never appeared before an international tribunal, Bush kept those Bush Family secrets safely tucked away.

For the full story of the troublesome testimony that Hussein might have delivered if not sent to the gallows, go to Consortiumnews.com at http://www.democracy...

far-left-wing, International Answer Coalition loony bin.

We illegally invade a country, we illegally occupy a country and now we have made ourselves the judge juror and executioner.  Nothing we do has any standing in the world.  He should have been tried in an international court.  Everything bush does puts us further from resolution.  The one we need to be rid of is bush.

This is a disgusting celebratory post.

"everything America does is wrong" harangue.  Are you seriously arguing that Saddam wasn't a mass murdering psycopath who richly deserved the death penalty?  Wait, I guess you are...sad.

P.S.  If you read the whole post, you'd realize it's not "celebratory," but I wouldn't want to distract you from your predictable, kneejerk, International Answer Coalition tirade or anything.

What are you talking about. 

This isn't the first time you've taken this blog and divided it.  But it is your playground so that is your right.  But you are WRONG.

I'll consider Robert Parry anyday to your rants.

...even the #1 recommended diary at Daily Kos says of Saddam, "I won't shed a tear for him -- he was, after all, an evil man who delighted in torturing his own people."  The author adds, "Saddam was executed for murdering 148 Shiite men, women, and children from a town where someone tried to assassinate him about 25 years ago."  Very true, and that was only the tip of the iceberg with this scumbag.  Good riddance.

Sharon could have been executed for the same thing.  In fact international court was waiting for him but we didn't deliver.  Instead he visited the WH more than any other leader.

You miss my entire point besides my not agreeing with an eye for an eye.  This action as well as every action taken by bush is part of the fascist take over that is being condoned by all who don't speak out against the administration. 

Everything saddam did he was prepared for by the U.S. and supplied and condoned until he became an impediment and then a liability and future witness.  I will never enjoy your blood thirst Lowell. 

... no need for everyone here to keep repeating themselves.

As soon as Israel is put on the table and bush and fascism it is all repetitive.  oh well, that is why people are suffering in the Mid East.

That's all it ever is with you, America and Israel bashing.  Doesn't it ever get a bit tiring for ya?

You have a very low threshold on "israel bashing."  I mention Sharon and his crimes and I'm the bad guy. 
 

Where on earth do you get this crap from?  You don't know the first thing about me, let alone to say that I'm bloodthirsty.  Screw yourself.

If we are going to execute everyone who has unjustly murdered his own people we should start with Bush for lying us into the Iraq war. Of course I would suggest an international trial first. Personally an good impeachment would be good enough for me. Looks like Rumsfeld will be going to a trial in Germany if he ever dares to travel abroad.

The point is not whether or not Saddam is guilty. But I might say he would have done far less without our help. Didn't we furnish those chemical weapons?

The dirty little secret is that when it suits us we will support mass murderers.  When these murderers are no longer useful in their first role they may become useful as a scapegoat for something someone else did (read 9/11), or perhaps a distraction from a failed policy (read the Iraq policy).

Why can't we face the fact that the US stood by and condoned what Saddam did? In that aspect you could say the US was an accomplice. No, the US is not always wrong, but it is wrong too much of the time for my taste.

"If we are going to execute everyone who has unjustly murdered his own people we should start with Bush for lying us into the Iraq war. "

This type of talk is unhealthy.  Bush made some very poor decisions, but as you recall he was supported in those very poor decisions by a vast majority of Congress.

I would also point out that the politicians in this country reflect the views of the people.  Case in point: as soon as the war became unpopular look at how many Republicans distanced themselves from it!

The decisions made in Congress are a reflection of our society.  Our society allowed this to occur.  Had the majority of us spoken against it from the beginning, it would not have occured.

I would also ask you why did most Americans blindly support this war? 

I believe that it reflects a decline in education and critical thinking skills.  A much higher proportion of educated people opposed the war from the beginning - neurons were firing and their critical thinking skills were working.  A large number of people allowed Fox News, and other networks for that matter, to do their thinking.

For Christ sakes, half of America thought Saddam was responsible for 9/11!!!  Bush and his administration is just one part of what I call the Axis of Stupid.  This nation suffered from mass stupid during the buildup of the war.  I now understand first hand how Hitler got things accomplished - with the support of his nation.

Yes, they choose a crime that probably had no links to the bushes, and they didn't allow themselves to lose control by going to the ICC.  This smacks of a southern lynching.  Now all the cases can be closed and no other accomplices will be accountable.  The trial was a wash.  Add one more for the Texacutioner.  And we Americans lost a great chance to be civilized.

He Takes His Secrets to the Grave. Our Complicity Dies with Him

How the West armed Saddam, fed him intelligence on his 'enemies', equipped him for atrocities - and then made sure he wouldn't squeal

by Robert Fisk
http://www.commondre...

I posted a somewhat different version of this on Shaun Kenney's site last night.

I know how evil Saddam really is. In addition to mass murder, he even murdered his sons-in-law (yes, plural) because he was suspicious that they would lead a coup against him.  In addition, a friend of mine, whose brother worked in the State Department, once told me that Hussein had an acid-filled pool in one of his palaces, where he executed political opponents by forcing them into the pool.  And he could turn on a supposed friend in a moment  because of his suspicious and paranoid nature. 

He was as frightening to his friends as his enemies. 

But, as a New Yorker, whose beloved city was attacked, I still grieve that the person who was responsible for the deaths of thousands of my fellow New Yorkers, is still roaming the wild tribal lands in the mountains of Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

Right now, I get the feeling that Osama bin Laden is gloating that his enemy, Saddam Hussein (and there is evidence that they disliked eachother) was executed at the behest of Americans while he - the real perpetrator of an attack on the U.S., still is free to threaten us with impunity.

Some justice was certainly done by the execution of Saddam Hussein.  But it was justice still unfinished. 

Thanks, and by the way, even though you're not blogging much these days, you remain one of my favorite writers and thinkers in the Virginia blogosphere!

I'm glad to see you back posting on RK.  I admit, it's more fun to come by when I have the time to post comments than to have to be responsible for keeping up my own blog on a nearly daily basis.  At least, for now.

You and Josh have always given me support and encouragement, for which I remain grateful.  And I love all that you do at RK.

he doesn't deserve a moment of attention. What does deserve attention - from the President - is a plan to actually end this damn war.

Good luck with that.  They keep pointing at the moon hoping no one will question the crimes of the pointer.  How unpopular I am for questioning.  Some one has to.

But why so angry?  You seem really negative in your responses here.  (I am still glad to see you back though.)
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I for one have no love for Saddam.  I find it hard to feel anything but disdain for the guy, and I have no tears to shed for him personally.  Indeed, there really is nothing good one could say about the guy.  But, for me, there is still some saddness that humankind celebrates any death. 

...I did not want to see Saddam killed, but would rather have preferred to see him spend his life in jail.  I do not understand on a spiritual/religious/logical level how premeditated murder by criminals (e.g. Saddam) is evil and wrong while the same action is right and proper when it is tied to a conviction.  My saddness stems from the idea that murder is ever acceptable.

  In addition I believe that mercy is devine.  To show mercy (even to a murderous thug) is a sign of the better angels of our nature, and places us far higher (in our ideals,spirituality, & logic) than those who act as Saddam Hussein and other monsters do. 
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