Riverwood Presbyterian Church

Politics

Reactions to Saddam’s End

by Clay Staggs

Saddam has met his end at the gallows.

From where I sit, this can only be construed as good news. And I think that most folks would agree. But yet, there is a not insubtsantial segment, even of the non-arab/non-Muslim world, that is bemoaning this development.

First, and not surprisingly, is the fringe radical left. Somehow, they all see this as George W. Bush’s FAULT. You can find a good roundup of posts from the far left of the blogosphere here. A sample:

[P]lease tell me what [obscenity omitted] moral standing does the US (or any other country for that matter) have to go into another country and do what we just did to Saddam? The fact that it is the US - that “shining beacon of freedom” is even worse. What does that say? What message does that send? And who made us World Police anyway? This is a mockery of justice.

So, maybe that’s to be expected from the Daily Kos types. But then, the Vatican apparently has a not totally dissimilar position:

The execution is “tragic and reason for sadness,” the Rev. Federico Lombardi said, speaking in French on Vatican Radio’s French-language news program. In separate comments to the station’s English program, Lombardi said that capital punishment cannot be justified “even when the person put to death is one guilty of grave crimes,” and he reiterated the Catholic Church’s overall opposition to the death penalty.

Saddam terrorized his neighbors and his own people for decades, torturing his enemies (real and perceived) in the most horrific ways imaginable. He started at least two major wars. He was utterly unrepentant for any of it, even to the last. As long as he drew breath, Iraqis had sound reason to fear the possibility of his return to power.

I can’t see this as anything other than a merciful relief to folks who have suffered under this monster.