tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288000153753902960.post7642975884087398380..comments2023-04-02T10:36:48.653+01:00Comments on Wandering Naval Gazer: Saddam Hussein - a bit late....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17684400154894645235noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288000153753902960.post-67581611010823861622007-01-15T19:40:00.000+00:002007-01-15T19:40:00.000+00:00To Tommy:
Thanks for some more information regard...To Tommy:<br /><br />Thanks for some more information regarding the technical aspects of Saddam's trial. It's rather interesting that the media has chosen to keep a lot of the logistics of the trail and execution quite. At least in the pieces of media I've looked at. <br /><br />I am completely against the death penalty in any circumstances. To me, it's state authorised murder. It also breeds some hypocricy. This man with a silly wig on says it's OK to murder this man in return for killing another human being. It lowers oneself to revenge from the Bible which, as we both know, can be quoted frequently out of context.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17684400154894645235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288000153753902960.post-67691937038104741332007-01-15T19:34:00.000+00:002007-01-15T19:34:00.000+00:00To reply to Chuffy:
He was a CIA agent.
Surprisi...To reply to Chuffy:<br /><br /><i>He was a CIA agent.</i><br /><br />Surprisingly enough I just finished reading <i>Canal Dreams</i> by Iain Banks which takes place during the invasion of Panama by the CIA. I only made the connection between the book and the actual event after watching <i>Bowling for Columbine</i> the same evening. <br /><br />In regards to my view on soldiers I shall elaborate a little more. My opinion is somewhat influenced by the Mothership who spent some time working indirectly for the Britsh Army. This was in the 1970s and Northern Ireland was regarded as <b>the</b> hot spot for tours. Most of the soldiers she knew <b>couldn't wait to get over there</b> and almost jumped for joy if they got assigned to Northern Ireland. It's my opinion the same type of guys still exist in the armed forces today. You don't join the army to sit around and drink beer a la Vietnam. That's why I'm slightly sceptical of sympathies extended towards them. <br /><br />But I completely agree they're just those in the firing line (pardon the bad pun). It's the people in power that should be held accountable for these actions. <br /><br />And thanks for the comments about my blog. Flattery is always appreciated :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17684400154894645235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288000153753902960.post-16104556839519669992007-01-14T22:09:00.000+00:002007-01-14T22:09:00.000+00:00The entire "super CIA Saddam" incident is utterly ...The entire "super CIA Saddam" incident is utterly baffaling. This trial under "Iraqi" law isn't very Iraqi considering the constution was written mainly by the US, the judiciary officals choosen by the US, and those who sat on the jury taken from a list limited by the US. I kinda hoped that the concept of waltzing into someone elses country stealing its natural resources and executing the head of state (regardless of who they are and how the got there) would not be one that was deemded exceptable in a modern context,and its nice to see the international community is so ready to prevent it. :p <br /><br />The idea of capital punishment is proposterous and tribal at best , chuffy clearly documented the relationship between Saddam and the US which im sure we are all aware of: these facts make this incident even more deplorable. <br /><br />Saddam is not the only leader who commited genocide, however most of the other fellows don't have plenty of lovely oil to steal, yes saddam was a bad bastard but there are plenty of bad bastards, and running about executing people isn't going to solve anything, anyone who believes the execution of saddam was a good thing (these people do exist buy the way!), on any level, is a fucking moron.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2288000153753902960.post-33738623608704320832007-01-12T19:46:00.000+00:002007-01-12T19:46:00.000+00:00I'm glad you posted this. I was very interested to...I'm glad you posted this. I was very interested to know what you thought about the whole thing and I think this is a good blog piece. I agree with you on some points, not on all of them though.<br /><br />I fully agree that Saddam's death does nothing. It's not a "milestone" or a "new chapter" as a lot of British and American diplomats and politicians have called it. It's just more death, which seems to be never ending in Iraq. It also, I agree, makes him into a bit of a Sunni martyr and the scenes of Shia's celebrating just antagonise everything. <br /><br />Tommy and I were talking about this, his main objection to the whole thing seemed to be the nature of the death penalty. Personally, I really don't care about the idea of capital punishment, I care about the justice of it. Capital punishment is a bit of a "different strokes for different folks-different hates for different states" kinda thing, it really does depend on the circumstances and I don't think I can really comment on its legitamacy.<br /><br />What really gets my goat up, that you hit upon, was the legallity of it all. Saddam appeared to be being tried under Iraqi law in an effectively American appointed court with international formalities while being held on American soil in Iraq. How can you prosecute someone on foreign soil under your law unless it's in their abscence? Is this not a bit of a sticky point?<br /><br />The appeal problem doesn't really exist-Saddam killed rather a lot of people, it's well documented, he was guilty. However, what he was eventually hung for was the assasination of "enemies of the state"-people who had attempted to take his life and destabilize Iraq. argue about the ethics of this if you want, but if I tried to assassinate Blair, I would fully expect MI5 to roll up to my door and top me off. And I'm not even a weapons expert in a wood wink wink.<br /><br />Why was Saddam not tried for the murder of an estimated 6,000 Kurds? I have real objection to the fact that the "justice" of this was done in the name of a few millitants rather than innocent men, women and children that were gassed in their own homes.<br /><br />And at the end of it all, why was he killed? To hide a deep receipt pile. Saddam was put in power by the CIA, who then sold him weapons. When his government collapsed, they got him back in. They helped him kill his rivals. They sold him more weapons. They told him to go to war with Iran, even though it would bankrupt Iraq, kill a million people and he did go to war, purely to protect America from "millitant Islam". He was a CIA agent. And they do tend to bump their own folk off.<br /><br />You are spot on by saying it's the winners who write it all, not people who write blogs sadly. Then at least things would be more factual if you wrote it, don't you think?<br /><br />The thing I have to disagree with you is that, yes, there are some terrible atrocities carried out worldwide by ordinary soldiers. Yes, the peace keeping forces have wronged many people. But they are the ones that have to put up with it all. It's about bringing to brunt those who <i>order</i> such artocities, those who hold the real responsibility. <br /><br />I am glad there was justice against Saddam. But there is not real justice, just a bitter taste. And the bad guys get away again. Oh well.<br /><br />Overall, really good blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com