Saturday, December 30, 2006

After Saddam Hussein

What now after Saddam Hussein?

Saddam Hussein, who ruled Iraq with an iron fist for over 30 years was hanged today. He was responsible for three major wars which resulted millions of Iraqi deaths and economic loss. He ruthlessly suppressed his opponents and was hanged today for one such act in 1982.

The important question is not whether he was guilty of crimes against humanity but whether the Iraqi Government that exists today had any legitimacy to do what it did and whether the trial itself was fair.

The new Iraqi Government could have conducted a fair trial by methodically following international norms and there by bringing some amount of legitimacy to itself. But the trial was divisive and flawed from the very beginning. The final sentence and the execution all seem to have been carried out in a hurry.

While, US can technically wash its hands off the whole affair, it is implicitly responsible for how the whole thing transpired. It could have halted or altered the course of the trial,but it let squeaky Iraqi justice system muddle its way through this important trial.

After 3+ years of wars and thousands of Iraqi and American deaths, Iraq of today seems to be worse off than ever before and edging perilously close to a all out civil war. Removal Saddam Hussein didn't create a better Iraq and neither would the execution of him.

2 comments:

  1. U.S. invaded Iraq unilaterally with the cooperation of the countries whom U.S saw eye to eye and occupied Iraq. Iraq even suffers shortage of water and power, not to talk of high unemployment. In the name of democracy, Iraq goes through anarchy and terrorism. Civil war has become a sacret word that U.S and allied countries do not want to admit and use the word Civil War.

    A country that boasts of rule of law kept a closed ear and eye during the Saddam trial because most of the judges were trained in U.S.

    Irrespective of the faction to which people of Islamic faith belong, they will continue to hate U.S and all white controlled regimes in the World.

    Raman

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  2. The entire Middle East is collectively responsible for what has happened in Iraq. In fact, it was also in the interest of other Middle East, mainly GCC Rulers (May be another name of Dictators), Iraq was invaded. Why single out the US? Saudi has now taken a stand on the civil war & given US a clear indication of what it will do, if US had to withdraw prematurely. Similarly, the GCC could have taken their stand... To conclude, it appears that, all these are happening because of group of people working towards their personal interests. GOD? save the world.

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