Saddam Hussein’s execution
Iraq’s uncompromising leader for more than two decades, Saddam Hussein forced his reluctant country onto the world stage.
Few had expected his execution to happen and if they did: they did not expect it so soon. In the Arab world, Saddam Hussein’s trial had been regarded with skepticism and some openly condemned it as a kangaroo court.
Reaction was varied in the region. There was rejoicing among the Shias after they watched television footage that confirmed that he had been executed. There were protests in mainly Sunni areas like Samarra, Ramadi and Tikrit.
Kuwait has been muted in its response, whilst Saudi Arabia questioned the timing of the execution. His ally, Libya declared three days of national mourning. Iran called it a “victory for Iraqis”. His daughters praised his bravery even at his final moments.
At the very end, Saddam Hussein was a very broken man but was stoic, showed no remorse and made no apologies. His end had come, maybe faster than he had predicted. The former leader called out a few slogans before he was led to the gallows. Handcuffed and holding the Koran to his chest, he refused a blindfold for his final moments. He repeated an Islamic prayer read out to him and was then executed just before daybreak on Saturday in Baghdad.
According to Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, the execution followed Islamic ritual and international standards “to the letter”.
It is possible that with Saddam Hussein’s exit from regional politics, the situation in the middle-east may improve after the initial backlash from his supporters. However most analysts worry that it might lead to an escalation of sectarian troubles and strife for the deeply divided country and also the region.
Meanwhile as predicted, US President George W Bush hailed the execution as “an important milestone” for the democratic Iraqi nation. He however warned it would not signal the end of the deadly violence there.
It is my personal opinion that the former president of Iraq should have been sentenced to life imprisonment. I am against capital punishment. But to his enemies, those who have suffered under his regime, his execution marks an end to a chapter in the history of the middle east. He had also been an ardent supporter of the Palestinian cause and regarded by many as a hero.
- Dark chapter ends
- Every rules dies or is killed
- A turbulent life ends
- Not many will miss him
- The obituary of Saddam Hussein
- Spectrum of Arab views
- The reaction
- Iraq, what next?
- The last public letter from Saddam Hussein
- Reaction of the media
- The detailed verdict
- The Bush-Saddam relationship
- Adam’s views
- Another blogger’s viewpoint-ktemoc.blogspot.com
