Comments on: Another death in Iraq http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/ dispatches from Canada's capital Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:47:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: a sibilant intake of breath » Blog Archive » Anfal charges dropped for Saddam Hussein http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-7094 a sibilant intake of breath » Blog Archive » Anfal charges dropped for Saddam Hussein Mon, 08 Jan 2007 12:43:22 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-7094 [...] Compounding the error of hanging him, the Iraqi High Tribunal has chosen to drop all charges against Saddam Hussein in the ongoing trial about the Anfal campaign. He was convicted earlier for the killing of 148 civilians in Dujail, but the campaign against the Kurds in Anfal between 1986 and 1989 killed more like 100,000 and included the use of chemical weapons. The brutality and illegality of this campaign has been used by many to bolster the assertion that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant and a criminal, and that the American-led invasion and occupation have been justified. It has also been used by those critical of the United States, particularly because some of the weapons used were almost certainly provided to Iraq by the United States, either during or before the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88). [...] [...] Compounding the error of hanging him, the Iraqi High Tribunal has chosen to drop all charges against Saddam Hussein in the ongoing trial about the Anfal campaign. He was convicted earlier for the killing of 148 civilians in Dujail, but the campaign against the Kurds in Anfal between 1986 and 1989 killed more like 100,000 and included the use of chemical weapons. The brutality and illegality of this campaign has been used by many to bolster the assertion that Saddam Hussein was a tyrant and a criminal, and that the American-led invasion and occupation have been justified. It has also been used by those critical of the United States, particularly because some of the weapons used were almost certainly provided to Iraq by the United States, either during or before the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88). [...]

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6730 Anonymous Mon, 01 Jan 2007 19:04:07 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6730 <a href="http://www.bushflash.com/thanks.html" rel="nofollow">Saddam Hussein: thanks for the memories.</a> Saddam Hussein: thanks for the memories.

]]> By: R.K. http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6614 R.K. Sun, 31 Dec 2006 04:26:31 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6614 <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3762659385418514095&q=saddam+execution" rel="nofollow">The video</a> really does bring the point home. What a pathetic spectacle. It looks just like the sort of terrorist videos that Al Jazeera has been so criticized for showing. The video really does bring the point home. What a pathetic spectacle. It looks just like the sort of terrorist videos that Al Jazeera has been so criticized for showing.

]]> By: Sylvia http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6602 Sylvia Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:40:40 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6602 Yes, nothing says "democracy" quite like state-sanctioned cold-blooded murder. Yes, nothing says “democracy” quite like state-sanctioned cold-blooded murder.

]]> By: R.K. http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6586 R.K. Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:30:53 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6586 Would it not be somewhat odd for the Americans to say: "We killed tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent people, so as to 'liberate' you, but it would be wrong for you to kill the most guilty person in the country?" Would it not be somewhat odd for the Americans to say: “We killed tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent people, so as to ‘liberate’ you, but it would be wrong for you to kill the most guilty person in the country?”

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6587 Milan Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:36:00 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6587 The Americans are obviously not the ones carrying the moral torch in Iraq (or much of anywhere, these days). Indeed, the fact that the occupying Coalition Provisional Authority established the court that tried Saddam does a lot to undermine its legitimacy and strengthen claims that this was victors justice. There are two positions from which we can very clearly criticize the execution of Saddam Hussein on moral grounds: 1. In the abstract moral consideration of the circumstance, based on principles rather than considerations of who we are as judgers. 2. As part of an international community with emerging ideas about morality and legitimacy. The Americans are obviously not the ones carrying the moral torch in Iraq (or much of anywhere, these days). Indeed, the fact that the occupying Coalition Provisional Authority established the court that tried Saddam does a lot to undermine its legitimacy and strengthen claims that this was victors justice.

There are two positions from which we can very clearly criticize the execution of Saddam Hussein on moral grounds:

1. In the abstract moral consideration of the circumstance, based on principles rather than considerations of who we are as judgers.

2. As part of an international community with emerging ideas about morality and legitimacy.

]]> By: Milan http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6584 Milan Sat, 30 Dec 2006 14:25:29 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6584 Lindi Cassel sent me this: <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromabroad/murray/20061109.html" rel="nofollow">Saddam and the poisoned chalice of victor's justice</a> Lindi Cassel sent me this:

Saddam and the poisoned chalice of victor’s justice

]]> By: Tristan Laing http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6573 Tristan Laing Sat, 30 Dec 2006 09:14:37 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6573 I think it's too simplistic to simply say the state oughtent kill, that killing is barbaric. Of course killing is barbaric, this is why we have the state, to ward off killing (at least killing within the state). But when the state makes something unlawful it always reserves the right to continue to practice the now unlawful thing. This is nothing new or unexpected, it is just the neccesary tension between constitutive and legislative power. Don't think I mean that there is some book somewhere where it says that the state can break it's own rules, this is simply part of the structure of any state at all. The state is inside and outside the law as the establisher and enforcer of it. Now, what we have in the case of Saddam's execution is a bit different, what is really happeneing is the US acting as a state by supporting another state outside of itself. The apparent contradictions in US foreign policy that seem to rob the US of any credibility in executing a dictator they formerly supported is beside the point. The executing is a botch job, rather, because while it is meant to be a formative act by the Iraqy government (in the same way as the executing of the Tsar was a formative act of the Soviet state - I did not say originary). However, since everyone knows the political influence of the US and the fact the Iraqy state isn't actually self standing, it fails to come off as the actor in it's own formative pantomime. The aesthetic and prestige value of the act is lost. It was entirely pointless to kill Saddam Hussein. (And yes, it will spark more uprisings, and more people will die. etc, etc...) I think it’s too simplistic to simply say the state oughtent kill, that killing is barbaric. Of course killing is barbaric, this is why we have the state, to ward off killing (at least killing within the state). But when the state makes something unlawful it always reserves the right to continue to practice the now unlawful thing. This is nothing new or unexpected, it is just the neccesary tension between constitutive and legislative power. Don’t think I mean that there is some book somewhere where it says that the state can break it’s own rules, this is simply part of the structure of any state at all. The state is inside and outside the law as the establisher and enforcer of it.

Now, what we have in the case of Saddam’s execution is a bit different, what is really happeneing is the US acting as a state by supporting another state outside of itself. The apparent contradictions in US foreign policy that seem to rob the US of any credibility in executing a dictator they formerly supported is beside the point. The executing is a botch job, rather, because while it is meant to be a formative act by the Iraqy government (in the same way as the executing of the Tsar was a formative act of the Soviet state - I did not say originary). However, since everyone knows the political influence of the US and the fact the Iraqy state isn’t actually self standing, it fails to come off as the actor in it’s own formative pantomime. The aesthetic and prestige value of the act is lost.

It was entirely pointless to kill Saddam Hussein.

(And yes, it will spark more uprisings, and more people will die. etc, etc…)

]]> By: Alex http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6571 Alex Sat, 30 Dec 2006 08:44:15 +0000 http://www.sindark.com/2006/12/30/another-death-in-iraq/#comment-6571 I agree. According to George Bush Saddam's execution "is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy". Nothing is further from the truth. I fail to see how the deliberate killing of an individual can ever contribute to the stability and culture of democracy. I agree. According to George Bush Saddam’s execution “is an important milestone on Iraq’s course to becoming a democracy”. Nothing is further from the truth. I fail to see how the deliberate killing of an individual can ever contribute to the stability and culture of democracy.

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