Comments on: White House Tries To Divert Debate Over Saddam Execution Video

By: Kim Ritter

Kim Ritter — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 15:45:45 +0000

mac- We’re not mourning Sadaam, but the rule of law in Iraq. There’s no point in substituting one brutal regime that disregards human rights for another one that does the exact same thing. I thought you “righties” cared more about the human rights of Iraqis than that.

If Bush has his head in the sand on this (reports that he hasn’t even watched the execution video!) then, just like in Katrina, he will receive criticism for disengagement on an issue that is gaining momentum worldwide.

By: GreenDreams

GreenDreams — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 04:00:53 +0000

Great post, Joe.

By: bbbustard

bbbustard — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 03:18:30 +0000

You do a great service – even thoguh the rabid will always find cause to disagree with you, your effort to seek silly things like accuracy, fairness, truth – are really refreshing. The fact is that we as U.S. citizens, should be ashamed of our participation in the murder of Saddam in Iraq – no matter how evil he was, and he was evil, we cannot be proud to use the same execution chamber in just the same way as he did.

By: garvey

garvey — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 02:21:38 +0000

Mac –

There is no mourning Saddam. He is dead, a punishment befitting the crimes he was convicted of in an Iraqi court, as well as those he will be convicted of in the eternal afterlife.

But make no mistake, what was captured on the video of a cell phone was not justice. It was revenge, a concept I hope is absent from an official action enacted by any government. For it is only the swift dispassionate action of justice that legitimates a system of laws. When vengence is allowed into the process, the process risks illigitimacy.

I thought we wanted to see Democracy bloom in Iraq? I thought we wished a true system of justice for all Iraqis? Does that not begin with Saddam?

By: mac

mac — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 01:27:30 +0000

Unbelievable how you leftist can turn this into another Bush Bash. How about you all head to Gitmo and adopt a terrorist and take him home and hug him, feed him and hope he doesn’t cut your throat.

Pathetic, but just as pathetic over your mourning over the Devil.

By: Kim Ritter

Kim Ritter — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:03:24 +0000

This thread brings to mind Shaun Mullen’s commentary on how we are a nation of sheep. Quite honestly, those who continue to buy the official White House version of anything- obviously must be. Their credibility gap yawns as wide as the Grand Canyon—even the talents of Tony Snow can’t bridge it.

As far as Sadaam goes, yes it is wonderful that he will no longer brutalize and terrorize his people. It would be equally wonderful if we could encourage the fledgling Iraqi government to act in the interest of the nation as a whole, and not like a bunch of partisan thugs.

By: JC

JC — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 23:34:57 +0000

You are correct in pointing out that discussing the particulars of Saddam’s death does not mean ignoring his deeds during his life. The reason for discussing the way he died is in what it says about the people that executed him.

There is a fine line between execution and murder and in my mind, the video of Saddam’s death is clearly a lynching and a murder, not an execution. In an execution, there is a sadness at the need to perform a deed that society finds abhorant. This video shows joy and celebration of another person’s death. This says that the Iraqi government that we have brought into being does not have the respect for life that we would expect a competent government to have.

This action was no different than the actions we’ve seen in videos where kidnappers kill their victims for the camera. This was not justice, it was revenge.