Justice or Revenge: Is There a Difference?
Days after former American President Gerald Ford passed away, a Reuters newspaper article titled “Ford Speaks from the Grave, Criticizes Bush on Iraq” caught my attention. Apparently even Ford thought the invasion of Iraq was not in the best interest of our national security. He told journalist Bob Woodward in a July 2005 interview, which he requested not be made public until after his death, that he thought fellow-Republican President Bush made a big mistake in his justification for invading Iraq.
Not long after President Ford’s passing, former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein was executed in what the New York Times called a “sectarian free-for-all.” An invasion of questionable legitimacy that has led to civil war in Iraq spawned a trial and an execution that were equally criticized for lacking legitimacy. One Washington Post writer, referring to the video-taping of Saddam being hanged, characterized the execution as “history as a snuff film.”
The contrast between the deaths of Ford and Saddam was dramatic. Compassion for Ford’s family and appreciation for him as a descent and moderate man who expressed discomfort at his party’s turn to the “hard right” were replaced with frustration and repulsion when I learned of Saddam’s abrupt and clandestine hanging.
As brutal as Saddam the dictator was, at one time he brought progressive reforms in health care and education to Iraq. He also managed to hold longstanding warring fractions together. Has the U.S. done any better? Will Bush be held accountable for pushing a war that so many urged against, for overthrowing a dictator and leaving a power vacuum in his place? More than 600,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the invasion with no end in sight.
The mass graves in Iraq are filling as never before.
Saddam’s trial, which Amnesty International called a “shabby affair marred by serious flaws,” was cut short and Saddam was executed only for the 1982 murders of 148 Dujail villagers accused of plotting to kill him, while trials for his most grievous offenses were cancelled. How does that bring closure to those who suffered under his rule? Robert Scheer, syndicated columnist for The Lost Angeles Times points out the importance of fair trials in a commentary titled “Silencing Saddam” – At Nuremberg in the wake of World War II the U.S. set the bar very high by declaring that even the Nazis, who had committed the most heinous of crimes, should have a fair trial. The U.S. and allies insisted on this not to serve those charged, but to educate the public through a believable accounting. In the case of Saddam, the bar was lowered to the mud…
Some have speculated that Saddam was executed because he knew too much. If the trials continued, Saddam’s defense lawyers were likely to present evidence of complicity by the U.S. government, which was supporting and helping to arm him during the time when most of the crimes he was to be tried for took place. U.S. policies played a role in the violent climate that exists in the Middle East today. We need to look at those policies honestly if we want to improve the situation.
Like President Ford in the 2005 interview with Woodward, Saddam left some final words. After his sentencing he wrote a letter that he had hoped to read but was denied the right to. In it he urged Iraqis to set aside internal conflicts and unite in driving US-led forces from the country. He also spoke of a compassionate God and of his life a sacrifice.
World leaders should be held accountable for the actions they take in the name of the state. If those actions are deemed to be criminal, a fair accounting and punishment are in order. The execution of Saddam was more like a revengeful lynching than a just punishment. It provides no answers, or opportunity for reconciliation for those involved. Rather, it raises more questions and suspicions. It guarantees to further inflame secular violence in Iraq and to fuel more hatred between those of different backgrounds. It also reflects negatively on the U.S. government, whose credibility in the eyes of the world may already be at an all time low.
January 7th, 2007 10:16 pm
Amen, Colleen. Fate had a hand in ensuring Ford’s and Hussein’s departures from this planet occurred in the same week. I hope history helps to uncover much of the ugliness that marked U.S. involvement in Saddam’s reign – if for no other reason than to educate future administrations on how to avoid getting into bed with butchers.
There are no blacks and whites. Only grays.
January 8th, 2007 12:09 am
The US led the invasion of Iraq after waiting 12 long years for Saddam to allow inspections and to step down from power. This would not have been necessary had this been accomplished in the original Persian Gulf War or if Saddam had simply stepped down. I could also quote a myriad of Congress people who supported the invasion as well, so it wasn’t as if only a handful of people supported the decision to invade.
The death toll you cite could be correct, but it is highly controversial as other sources, including the President, put the figure under 60K (http://www.iraqbodycount.org/). Either way, it’s a horrible number of deaths, and “Most of the deaths in Iraq, particularly in the past two years, have been caused by insurgent, terrorist and sectarian violence.” – WSJ
The WSJ goes on to say, “Human Rights Watch has estimated Saddam Hussein’s regime killed 250,000 to 290,000 people over 20 years.” Thought it should be known that Saddam wasn’t a good guy in case anyone gets that opinion from your blurb.
Also, if Saddam’s execution becomes a snuff film then thank the media for that.
I am now hearing talk of breaking Iraq up into different political regions so as to ease the infighting. This is pretty much irrelevant in my opinion as I am more aligned with the older generations of America which would have simply rolled over the opposition by now with vast support from the people. I blame the media, liberal universities, and mainly the comfort of our high standard of living on today’s attitudes and lack of sacrifice. The same thing happened to Rome where it had to pay its soldiers more and more money to fight because noone wanted to do it, which was the beginning of its decline.
January 8th, 2007 6:44 am
Great post. I’m proud of what I do in the military, but I’m still a social progressive liberal and I don’t really believe in capital punishment.
January 8th, 2007 8:03 am
Every time George Bush talks about the thousands of Iraqis that Saddam caused to die using wmd I just want to shout at the TV…And you sir, who will hold you accountable?
This Presidency will go down in history as a lesson in what can happen when the Constitution is tossed aside and a group of judges are allowed to appoint a President. Nothing that has happened since has been representative of the high ideals to which this country has aspired.
One of the things that really has upset me in the last decade is that we no longer seem to hold ourselves to the higher standard. Not in government, not in commerce, not even in the way we treat each other. That, more than anything else, is what made America great. We may not have always made it but we aspired to be better than we were. Now we seem to just aspire to get more than the next guy…I guess that’s what I remember about President Ford, he aspired to do the right and good thing. Mostly he seem to have done so.
Does anyone know what George Bush has aspired to?
January 8th, 2007 10:17 am
Gary, you bring the thread of illegitmacy I spoke of to it’s real beginning. When something is initially based on it, what comes after is a house of cards.
January 8th, 2007 10:36 am
I didn’t appreciate the hanging of Sadaam being televised. Even taking out the actual death I was horrified when I looked up from the treadmill and saw him with the noose around his neck about to fall. I had tried to avoid coverage and this was one of many re-broadcasts. I believe all human life is a precious gift and I do not wish to see the spirit of anyone, good or evil, leave this earth. I don’t feel that is my place to watch. I thought it made us seem barbaric. (Now if someone had hurt one of the kids or family then it might be different)
As far as accountability, I think Bush should be held accountable for all the death he has caused in Iraq on a senseless war. His own actions border criminal.
January 8th, 2007 10:46 am
Sad state of affairs. The backpeddling, the cover-ups, the hypocrisy, the whole shebang makes me really sad.
Susan
January 8th, 2007 1:48 pm
You know Colleen…this piece would look great in the Roanoke Times! I love to see your political writing, you’re really good at it.
January 8th, 2007 2:00 pm
I echo your commentor Gary, except that I can’t even bear to watch Bush or listen to him. I too want to yell, “and who is going to hold you accountable?” He has brought us to ruin in so many ways and I am ashamed that he represents this country that I lovel.
January 8th, 2007 6:01 pm
it’s so hard to know what to believe because we always get the “story” or alleged events through a media source which is often slanted. I don’t believe they should have shown Saddam’s hanging on TV but I do believe he should have been given punishment in his own country under their laws.
Hopefully, in the next election, US citizens can really support someone they believe is an intelligent fair person and vote accordingly. So much of what you do affects us in Canada as well.
January 8th, 2007 7:20 pm
I’m against the death penalty and found the entire Saddam episode barbaric.
But….through the entire time of broadcasts, etc. only one thing stood out very strongly in my mind. “He WAS somebody’s father and somewhere…a daughter is grieving.”
January 8th, 2007 9:05 pm
BRILLIANT Post, Colleen.
And ALL so true—so horribly true, I am sorry to say.
This country…this world, is in soooo much trouble.
Thank you for writing this Colleen…
Oh Lordy, what is to become of us?
January 9th, 2007 9:08 pm
Very well written and thought out post that I both enjoyed reading and agreed with.
January 9th, 2007 11:22 pm
Two wrongs have yet to make a right. On hearing of Suddams execution I felt an inexplainable mixture of sadness and fear.. not so much for Suddam as for all of us left behind.
January 10th, 2007 4:48 am
Well done! I second Mara – I really, really like your political stuff…
January 10th, 2007 9:24 am
I used to do more of it, but it burns me out too fast.