Hitler beat the noose by committing suicide. If it were today, would we have given him a poison cocktail squirted into a vein, or gas, or by electric pulse? The method chosen by the Iraqis was hanging and thus, by this event, the search for truth about the regime of a dictator was effectively ended. Dr. Najbaldin Karim in the NY Times this morning, a former Turkish Iraqi, now American, deplored the early punishment of Hussein. It effectively ended plumbing the depths of crimes committed by this man. Hussein got off easy. We need to see and hear more.
The world will not know the huge size of crimes against humanity by this monster. He would much better serve the needs of humanity by looking out at the world through bars or out among those he wronged dyed a bright color and put to work on public works (my favored solution).
We are still arguing about historical events thousands, hundreds and even decades ago. The stories we tell and remember do not add up because there are so many sides to every issue. THE HOLOCAUST is only one of these. The GENOCIDE of Armenians by Turks is another. Both are subject to denial by governments or by professionals. These debunk the story of humans who shred others and wallow in their blood. Profiteers go on with their lives not bothered at all by the inhumanity of their actions – or beliefs. These live on long after they die safely and comforted in their beds.
Have you noticed the alacrity with which individuals are offered up as sacrifice for the crimes of a nation because of torture or murder of citizens in places where armies crush independence of other nations? Our American Nation is not the nanny of new born countries just because our soldiers patrol their streets. Yet, this is what is expected of an America that invaded Afghanistan and Iraq.
We spend a great deal of time and money finding scapegoats amongst our military for “crimes” they committed while not killing the enemy as soldiers. Americans are not happy about Janjaweed Arab soldiers killing Black Africans in Darfur. At least they are not unhappy enough to do anything about it.
What is needed here is a live Hussein growing old in prison or in his dyed skin out among the rest of us. We need to be reminded of his crimes and the crime the rest of us played in electing his type or allowing other criminals to plunder and loot us in the name of democracy, free enterprise or capitalism. We deserved his life as a model that our leaders will always see and remember. Hanging Hussein did not achieve accountability for ALL his crimes. We want him under ground, out of sight and out of mind.