Saddam Hussein's execution gives rise to some very mixed feelings. While I am still absolutely opposed to the death penalty, I can't say that I am sorry he is no longer around. He probably had a fairer trial than most, if not all, those he was responsible for killing, and there are plenty of prisoners across the world who have had state executions who were a lot less deserving of it then him – but it does not make it right.
I am sure he suffered less than if he had to spend the rest of his life in prison, so punishment was taking a back seat to revenge in the sentencing.
Was I the only one squirming uncomfortably when Ian Hislop was making little jokes about Saddam's impending death on Have I Got News For You? I normally revel in bad taste humour, but somehow that crossed a line.
If we follow our moral instincts, we can but feel extremely uncomfortable about Saddam’s ‘execution’.
And as for reading about the knighthood of MI6 Head John Scarlett at the same time…we should feel even more uncomfortable…
It’s not the best outcome, because he was only done for one incident, rather than a whole load (for example, the gassing of the Kurds has not been prosecuted yet).
It might also affect the course of the trials of his subordinates.
However, the longer he was kept alive, the greater the chance that he would escape or become a focus of rebellion.
Who can predict what will happen? Alive he might be the focus of rebellion, but as a dead martyr he could be the same thing.
Alive or dead, ‘terrorists’ are murderers and should be given a fair trial (not a lynching).
Justice was not done properly apropos Saddam (whatever the Sunday Papers front pages want us to believe) – and so the knighting of John ‘WMD’ Scarlett at the same time is morally obscene.
Future ‘unofficial’ (but more truthful) history is likely to judge Bush and Blair as committing far bigger ‘crimes against humanity’ than a tinpot dictator – in other words, they are as much murderers as Saddam.
But we in the West now have a cold streak of amnesia and denial – and we can’t even smell our stench anymore.
We can’t change what has now happened but I feel it is important that he is now treated with some dignity. Alive he was a dictator, dead he is entitled to the same treatment we would expect for ourselves – or we are worse than the worst tyrant.