Reply #331: No one's trivializing it. They're bemoaning the lack of judicial integrity.

[progressivebydesign]

Seriously. I did not see the trial that dealt with the thousand of kurds that Saddam allegedly gassed. I saw a trial that was run by America at Bush's pleasure. I have read things around that call some of the claims in question, about the gassing and who was in cahoots with Saddam. I think many people would have preferred a decent, non-fake, trial that led to this sentence (or a life sentence, which would have been way more effective.)

The point is that many Americans have this little idea in ingrained in them from an early age, it's what our country was built on... fair trials and a fair justice system. Saddam was tried in Iraq, so obviously our Bill of Rights does not apply to his trial. However, it does make people squeamish to see the mockery of justice (even if he's guilty as sin) and the 24 hour appeal process. For me, it's not about his guilt, it's about the process... and the seeming rush to kill him to do what exactly? Prop up Bush' miserable fucking presidency? Give him a hard on?

I know that Saddam was convicted of killing people after an assasination attempt, but damn the supposed trial was so hard to follow, that I'm not even sure. I do know that the penalty for plotting assasination in most countries would be pretty brutal, but I'm thinking he must have indescriminately killed people after the attempt, and that's what earned him a death penalty. Because otherwise, it would make no sense to give a death penalty for just going after those that tried to kill you. Well shit.. isn't that what all this is about? (ironically), Didn't Bush jr. say that Saddam "tried to kill my Daddy"?

Saddam did horrible things, as murderous dictators do. ANd I'm not minimizing his crimes, proven or alleged. I'm disturbed that we invaded a soveriegn country, killed thousands more of their civilians than Saddam probably ever did, and pulled the strings in the kangaroo court. THe rush to do this was politically motivated, and a terribly stupid move in light of the instability there, and our troops having to be there now. Does Bush believe that this execution will somehow endear him to the troops now? Not when it's their lives on the line trying to survive in a country where Bush has just created a martyr for millions there.