Saddam Hussein to be hanged by Sunday at PeaceChicken.com

UPDATE - 12.31.06 1:08AM: Another good article about the hypocrisy of the ~~Iraqi Government’s~~ U.S. execution of Hussein.

UPDATE - 12.30.06 4:53PM: Well, it’s officially done. I hang my head in shame for the humanity of this world and the sick and twisted way we go out delivering “justice.” Alternet has posted a good article about how the U.S. created, supplied, and destroyed this man, “an Arab leader who no longer obeyed his orders from Washington”, and how we have gotten away with equal if not worse crimes, and not a single mainstream newspaper will bring this fact to light.

UPDATE - 6:33PM: This article has been published to OpEdNews.com, a progressive and community-driven blog/news site “…like the Drudge Report, but for people who think.”

UPDATE - 5:30PM: It’s official, Saddam will be executed tonight by 10pm EST, 6am in Iraq. So here’s a toast to another unfair trial– brought to you by the flawless American justice system– resulting in a swift and colonial death sentence. And of course, a drink to the logic of killing someone for killing, what a proud day to be an American!

What better way to demonstrate that it’s wrong to kill people than by killing someone?

And what better way to do it than a barbaric hanging? This is 2006, who needs humane methods? Humanity, civilization, the Fifth Commandment– who needs any of those things? It’s not like any of the people involved on either side are religious and would feel compelled to follow their God’s rules…

Call me a bleeding heart liberal, but I am still against the death penalty, even for Saddam Hussein. I just don’t see how this is a tougher punishment than life in prison. He is getting off scot-free! What better way to create a martyr out of him, which will infuriate the Baathists even more, refuel the insurgency, and stir up some badly needed support from the American public for this illegal war. It’s a win-win situation for Mr. Bush. They’re very good at playing dumb, but there’s a reason for everything this Administration does.

“He told them [his brothers] he was happy he would meet his death at the hands of his enemies and be a martyr, not just languish in jail.”
- Badie Aref, one of Saddam’s lawyers

If this is all about war crimes, why isn’t Mr. Bush and his entire Administration being tried? The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq has resulted in the deaths of anywhere from 100,000-655,000 civilians. THAT is a war crime. Talk about hypocrisy.

Lastly, one cannot ignore the speed of this execution. While the people involved are night and day different in their actions, it’s reminding me all too much of Sophie Scholl and her expedited execution at the hands of the Nazis. Would this happen with an American official? I certainly don’t think so. But then, we are exempt from most rules and traditions because we’re AMERICA damn it!