Should this conservative criminal have been hanged?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070320/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Saddam Hussein and his Baath party and Republican Guard are all ultra-conservatives.

It is not a futile attempt to attach him to conservatives, it is the truth.

Answer 1

Yes, after reading the article he deserved to die.

This conservative was a cold hearted monster with no regard for human life.

Answer 2

If by conservative, you mean "fascist", then yes, I think that he deserved harsh punishment.

And yes, fascist is extreme right while communism is extreme left. Fascism and Communism are both extremism and both have failed after large-scale experimentation in many countries (most notably China/Cambodia and Germany/Japan). Fascists overdevelop economy at the expense of society and communists overdevelop social programs at the expense of economies. Soapbox talking heads on the conservative side love to waffle those pretty clear distinctions and confuse people, and liberals are too quick to equate tough stances and hardline conservativism with fascism whenever laws "could" be abused. I don't fault either side for doing their job (getting things done vs. acting as a watchdog- things that made our country great without making huge mistakes like Germany or China). Now that that mess is out of the way...

I'll overlook and overstep the political minefield laid out (intentionally or not) with that usage and focus on the justice aspect (something we all seek).

First the goals of such a punishment need to be identified. These could be incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation, retribution (... or ~ revenge?) We can probably go ahead and discard the "rehabilitation" of this seemingly incorrigible man for obvious reasons- he's dead, so we evidently did not give that goal much consideration. Anyway, what were we going to do with the man, send him on a kibbutz or retrain him as a grief counselor?

Incapactitation, Retribution, and perhaps Revenge were the goals served by the execution of Sadaam. "Incapacitation" guarantees cessation of that person's further actions- pretty simple. Life imprisonment in max-sec prison generally achieves this goal. "Retribution" is a moral expression and best exemplified by humane punishment, while "Revenge" involves the sort of public mutilation we see in the middle east and in my opinion has less of a moral component and is more an expression of animalistic rage.

Perhaps there was some deterrence of future Sadaams (however doubtful this may seem in a country full of people who really do believe in martyrdom and afterlife).

I personally don't lose much sleep over Sadaam's hanging, but I do wonder if the same goals of punishment such as incapacitation and retribution could have been met in a way that did not at the same time promote barbarism and bloodlust in an increasingly barbaric and bloody environment. After all, we are trying to spead the ideas of compassion and freedom, not 18th century justice. Wouldn't it have been even more shameful to make Sadaam face his victims for the rest of his life? Perhaps make him ladle out lentil soup and rice to the orphans and widows of the men he executed, for the rest of his life? Now that, I would have liked to see.

Answer 3

I am against the death penalty. Though the Iraqi's are a people used to being governed by fear. They need to see that Saddam and clan are gone for good. The alternative is fear and hesitation to stand up and have a free country. This puts Americans lives at stake therefore I believe the death penalty in these instances ultimately saves more lives.

Answer 4

Criminal Record Search Database : http://SearchVerifyInfos.com/Support

Answer 5

Too late. The execution took place at 3:05 a.m. at a prison at an Iraqi army and police base.

Answer 6

Yes. And your deliberately misleading label of "conservative" is a futile attempt to attach him to American conservatives. This is incorrect and offensive. He was a pro-death, life-hating, coward extremist.

Answer 7

Yep.

Did anyone catch the age of the hanged and the guys mother?

She was 15 when she had him.

I just thought that was interesting....

Answer 8

NO, now go and pray to God for forgiveness for your AntiAmerican behavior you commie bastard.

Answer 9

Yes...

Answer 10

No. But then I don't support the death penalty.