I'm a person who is not opposed to the death penalty for moral reasons, but for procedural reasons. In the USA there are some strong indications that innocent people have been executed, and nobody seems to be working on clearing up those issues. (not a troll, background).
With Saddam Hussein, however, my argument falls apart. Can anybody here argue the man was not responible for egregious crimes against humanity? He should still get a fair trial. I would favor turning him over to the Kurds, they have a functioning government at this point. Or maybe to a council of Shia clerics. Sharia has been a legal code for over a millenia.
We could also just wait and turn him over to the future governement of Iraq in a couple of years. I just don't find that as just for the victims, his trial and highly probably execution would give them closure. If it was my wife and little girl, I sure as hell would want him dead (though you couldn't let me do, I believe torture is not legal).
I do not believe we should try him in the USA or in front of a war crimes tribunal. This is because of a) fairness to the Iraqi people b) procedural reasons and precedent c) international tribunals by and large now don't consider the death penalty. The International Court in the Hague only applies to crimes since 2002, so that's not the appropriate venue. Any thoughts.
With Saddam Hussein, however, my argument falls apart. Can anybody here argue the man was not responible for egregious crimes against humanity? He should still get a fair trial. I would favor turning him over to the Kurds, they have a functioning government at this point. Or maybe to a council of Shia clerics. Sharia has been a legal code for over a millenia.
We could also just wait and turn him over to the future governement of Iraq in a couple of years. I just don't find that as just for the victims, his trial and highly probably execution would give them closure. If it was my wife and little girl, I sure as hell would want him dead (though you couldn't let me do, I believe torture is not legal).
I do not believe we should try him in the USA or in front of a war crimes tribunal. This is because of a) fairness to the Iraqi people b) procedural reasons and precedent c) international tribunals by and large now don't consider the death penalty. The International Court in the Hague only applies to crimes since 2002, so that's not the appropriate venue. Any thoughts.
Comment