Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Political verdict

This refers to the editorial "Political, not judicial verdict" (Dec. 28). It is rather unfortunate that an Iraqi appeals court has upheld the trial court verdict awarding the death sentence to the deposed Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. Given the nature of the case, it should have been handled by an international tribunal. A rigged verdict has been delivered after a farcical trial by a kangaroo court, making a mockery of the justice system. The verdict will add to the suffering of the people of Iraq.

A.S. Farida,
Kancheepuram

The U.S.' response that the sentence is an important milestone in Iraq's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law is ironical. As pointed out in the editorial, though Mr. Hussein was a dictator it is shameful that the verdict was engineered by Western powers that colluded with him once.

V.K. Sathyavan Nair,
Kottayam

Saddam Hussein's execution will signal the end of a regime in Iraq. But what causes concern is the manner in which his trial was conducted — particularly the killing of three defence lawyers during the course of the trial.

V.S.S.V. Narayana,
Bhimavaram

Saddam Hussein allegedly killed 148 Shias in his own country but our global policeman killed more than 600,000 Iraqis. All that he has lost for it is the U.S. Congress, with which in any case he will have no truck after two years.

M.A. Sadanand,
Chennai

The verdict has been stage-managed by the U.S. with the help of its Shia allies in the Iraq Government. It is bound to increase sectarian violence leading to a civil war. A lot of blood will flow as a consequence of the political verdict.

M.N. Srinvasan,
Vellore

The death sentence is an ill-considered move that will lead to turmoil in West Asia. Let us not forget that Mr. Hussein was in power thanks to U.S. dollars and U.S. weapons, and was touted as an example of a "good, enlightened Arab leader" by the U.S. during the 1980s. Logically, he should have been tried at The Hague and not by a kangaroo court filled with American puppets.

Anand Khurana,
Agra

The trial was biased and capital punishment was a foregone verdict. Allowing Saddam Hussein to live will be a greater punishment to him than executing him.

K.J. Rao,
Secunderabad

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