Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Killed in haste

The execution of Saddam Hussein was expected but the hurry with which it was carried out and its timing will cast a shadow over the already troubled Iraq. It has been proved yet again that the U.S., which engineered the hanging through a puppet Iraqi regime, does not respect human sensibilities. Saddam was no saint but the manner in which he was eliminated has made him a martyr in the Muslim world in general and Arab nations in particular.

It is perhaps the first time that the video footage of a leader's execution has been telecast the world over. By allowing it, the U.S. and the Iraqi Government have shown that they are not looking for reconciliation among the warring factions in Iraq.

Raunaq Rathore,
Noida

* * *

While the deposed leader was no angel and even an impartial judicial process with no hidden political agenda would have perhaps found him guilty, the drama of his execution has brought to the fore a larger question — the relevance of a primitive way of punishing a man in this enlightened age. Television channels, which vied with one another to telecast the nauseating act of hanging, have not particularly covered themselves with glory.

Suresh Manoharan,
Hyderabad

* * *

The filming of Saddam Hussein's last moments was a shameful breach of his privacy to die in peace and with dignity. Even his wish to be shot, as befits a soldier, rather than hanged was not respected. He will go down in history as a martyr who defied American hegemony.

Kangayam R. Narasimhan,
Chennai

* * *

The death penalty is by itself cruel. It was made worse when the hanging was shown on television. What was the Iraq Government trying to convey by flashing those pictures across the globe?

Ethiraj Srinivasan,
Ruwi

* * *

History will record Saddam Hussein as the only brave man who opposed American imperialism in the Arab world.

A. Irudayaraj,
Nagapattinam

* * *

The Iraqi administration has erred in eliminating Saddam after putting him through a farcical trial in utter disregard of world opinion. The execution is sure to trigger reprisals.

N.K. Vijayan,
Kizhakkambalam, Kerala

* * *

The trial and execution of Saddam Hussein represent the ugly face of American imperialism. They defy every known principle of sovereignty and international law. The American administration should look at the Statue of Liberty and ask itself whether it represents any of the principles the statue symbolises.

N.G.R. Prasad, S. Ayyadurai & R. Rajaram,
Chennai

* * *

If the hanging of Saddam was unfortunate, more unfortunate was its recording and telecast.

M.P. Sujan Kumar,
Thiruvallur, T.N.

* * *

Whether Saddam was a tyrant or warrior depends on one's viewpoint. But it cannot be denied that he laid down his life as a martyr.

V. Kameswaran,
Chennai

* * *

Now that the 148 Shias of Dujail have got justice with the support of the U.S., can we expect the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the bombing of Afghanistan and other U.S. targets to get justice?

Shyam Charan Singh,
Bhubaneswar

* * *

Saddam's execution will surely act as a stumbling block in the process of reconciliation and peace in Iraq. The existing rift among rival groups will widen further, leading to more bloodshed. It will offer more reasons for fundamentalist outfits to issue a fatwa against the U.S. and other European countries.

Salil Gewali,
Shillong

* * *

Iraq under Saddam was the only secular nation in West Asia where both men and women enjoyed equal rights and opportunities. A multi-ethnic land with strong tribal loyalties could not have been ruled in any other way. That forced democracy cannot work in Iraq is there for all to see.

Of course, Saddam was ruthless, intolerant and vengeful. The misuse of power by him and his sons was well known. But he did what he thought was the best way to root out dissent.

H.D. Lohani,
Secunderabad

* * *

The execution was brutal murder after a farcical trial by a counterfeit court. The Indian Government's reaction to the murder — that it is disappointed — was not expected from the country of Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha, and Vivekananda.

M.P. Padhmanabhan,
Chennai

* * *

The U.S. invaded Iraq to destroy the lone powerful country in West Asia, in order to ensure that there is no opposition to Israel. India's response shows the extent of American influence over its affairs.

K. Abdul Nassar,
Aluva, Kerala

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Noida's sordid serial killings
Adapting to climate change
Lessons for India as Russia ups ante
Corrections and Clarifications
Asean under the security spotlight
A fact that is conveniently forgotten
The impact of empire on Britain's identity
Shocking
Killed in haste
Execution justified

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu