William Hague's reaction to Saddam verdict

“We congratulate the Iraqi courts on reaching a verdict in such difficult circumstances, and the bravery shown by judges and witnesses in the face of severe violence and intimidation.  It is important that Saddam Hussein faces justice for his crimes, for the sake of both his many victims and of the future of Iraq and its people.  The verdict and sentencing of Saddam are a matter for Iraqi law and the Iraqi people, but they deserve the support of the international community in ensuring that the decisions reached by the court are respected.”

- Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague, reacting to Saddam Hussein's death penalty verdict

Comments

[Ted]

It's justice that Saddam will be punished for his crimes but all these "reactions" leave a sour taste - not sure why but 'congratulate' seems an odd word. A simple 'justice has been done" without the politics perhaps.
For me, the sooner the man is hanged and becomes a note in history the better.

[TomTom]

I think a period of profound silence from politicians would be in order. If this is an Iraqi verdict let them deal with it; if it is a Death Penalty of which William Hague approves maybe he can tell us why it is not on the Conservative Party programme here.

[James Maskell]

Hmmm, interesting point TomTom. Id rather first they convict him of every crime he has been responsible for. Bring out every skeleton to show what a monster this guy was. Then hang him.

[EML]

I'd like to see him rot in jail for the rest of his life. Hanging's too good for him!

[Sally Roberts]

Ted I know what you mean, but I think the word "congratulate" was probably intended to convey the fact that the Court reached a decision under very difficult circumstances. I don't think it was intended to offer a view on the verdict itself.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

"I'd like to see him rot in jail for the rest of his life. Hanging's too good for him!"

An interesting point.

I have no objection to this despicable creature being hanged if that has been deemed the most appropriate/just means by which to make it atone for its utterly evil deeds.

However, I am concerned that hanging it could turn it into a martyr and allow it, even in death, to continue to dominate Iraqi politics and life for years to come, whereas consigning it to a prison cell for the rest of its miserable life would deny it a high-profile final act with which to leave one last indelible stain on history.

[James Maskell]

DVA, thats partly why I feel that bringing up all his heinous acts would help to stop that as he would be known for less than moral reasons and there would be less justification for him to be treated as a martyr. I do see your point though. Its a difficult choice either way.

[Sally Roberts]

Daniel, the trouble is that if "it" (as you put it) remains in prison for the rest of its miserable life, then it becomes a living martyr rather than a dead one and can still spread its evil message and orchestrate a campaign by supporters for its freedom!

[tapestry]

I saw a news report showing the Sunnis are now running an Islamic fundamentalist state within a state, and they are trying to seize control of Baghdad.

It reminds one of Macchiavelli. He wrote that you start a war when you like, but only get out of it when you can. In the meantime events are beyond your control.

The war in Afghanistan was not started by the West, as Osama was based there, and protected. But the war in Iraq was. We went in there without any real need. Now we cannot get out even though we would like to, and events have spiralled beyond control. Macchiavelli had it right.

[bee]

it's a good job that the free and fair tribunal decided he'd be put to death, and also a wonderful coincidence that the free and fair tribunal decided to postpone its original decision until right before the mid-term elections in the USA.

Thank god for free & fair courts.

[Right wingery]

Sally is most certainly right. Getting Saddam out of the way is critical for the development in Iraq.

I have ranted thus on my site!

[James Maskell]

bee, the clincher is the reaction to this verdict. If the violence builds up further, Bush can expect a horrible result in the mid-terms. Its definitely a possibility. I saw an article in the Mail about the regular findings of dozens of dead bodies found at the roadsides, supposedly killed by the Iraqi police. Soem reports in the papers say that British troops will remain in Iraq in till 2012...

[TomTom]

If the violence builds up further, Bush can expect a horrible result in the mid-terms.

Yeah just like Kerry swept to power on the last batch of polls !

[James Maskell]

That was a Presidential poll and not the same as a Senate or HoR poll. The Democrats seem to have a real chance of taking one of the Houses...

[TomTom]

Oh I see the Opinion Polls only produce inaccuracies for Presidential Elections. Well now we know !

[rallies]

He should have been shot when he was found.

[James Maskell]

Well, it worked for Bush...

[Richard]

The Kerry-Bush polls put Kerry only slightly ahead. I would imagine that the Senate/HoR polls aren't as close.

[Paul Kennedy]

Tend to agree with you, rallies 17:15, but those who decide such things obviously felt that parading him in public and inspecting his mouth, subjecting him to a trial and hanging him, will be worth it.......not convinced myself.

Who knows he might die of an illness or accident in the meantime. ;)

[James Maskell]

Well in rallies case that would be against the law, as he had not been tried in a court of law. None of us like the fact he lives on this earth but lives he does. We have to follow international law and try him with accordance with the laws and protocols established with regards to this.

[Umbrella Man]

Saddam should have been summarily executed like Romania's Ceascescu by hos own people rather than Americans. Everyone knew that Saddam was as guilty as hell. A trial is right in theory but in practise the whole process has been a rallying point for the Sunni insurgency. A cleaner break with the old regime would have been less 'proper' but would have saved many Iraqi lives.

[malcolm]

I would agree with you Umbrella Man. I'm not sure that the trial of Hussein has been a good thing for the allies. I'm also not sure whether it is better to have a dead Saddam Hussein who will be treated as a martyr by some Iraqis or one that spends the rest of his life rotting in jail.A live Saddam Hussein might also be a focal points for insurgents.The next few days and weeks should tell.

[Umbrella Man]

Hague's statement is very bland by the way. Where is the passion? The heart? The fire? Where is the Hague we once knew? If he's this bland before the Foreign Office gets hold of him...

[David Banks]

what a shame he is going to be hung! i always rather liked Saddam. Why can't they be more civilised and have proper prisons instead of killing people? Must be the malign influence of Islam

[Andrew]

"The Kerry-Bush polls put Kerry only slightly ahead. "

Only the exit polls. Earlier ones put Bush about 2% ahead, and were extremely accurate in battleground states.

[John Moss]

My first thought on seeing the pictures of "Sadders" after they cleaned him up was along the lines of, "I wouldn't mind running him as a local candidate", he looked very respectable with his clean white shirt and dark suit. But then Goebbels was an awfly nice chap too, apparently.

Personally I think the death sentence unjustified in any circumstance. Lock him up and treat him with humanity and dignity. Just never, ever let him out. That way the world can see that those who come after him are better than what came before.

Mind you, if Moqtada Al Sadr ever gets control, it will be much, much worse. We'll have another Taliban on our hands and have to invade all over again.

Sadly, that is the missed point. Islamism. The promotion of the wahabist creed. The idea of the reinstatement of the Caliphate and the hatred of all else which does comply with that evil, narrow interpretation of a great religeon.

That is the real danger and if Bush and Blair should rot for anything, they should rot for allowing the apologists to prevent this arguement being made because of their useless and stupid actions in Iraq.

[simon mallett]

The death penalty is either right or wrong. Saddam's crimes are despicable but it doesn't make the death penalty acceptable. If we as a party oppose the death penalty, we should not support it just because "it is a matter for the Iraqis". We should have the moral courage to maintain our anti-death penalty stance even when it is politically and militarily expedient not to do so.

[Mark Fulford]

I wonder if they will drop him from high enough that his neck will snap, or whether he'll go by slow strangulation.

Cold-blooded state-killing is sickening, barbaric and unnecessary.

[Fred Baker]

On an arithmetical basis Saddam did very well. He kept Iraq together by only killing 1,000 a year, say. We have been responsible for the killing of 20,000 a year!

[Fred Baker]

The country and most of the world see the war in Iraq being about oil. The killing of Saddam would enhance this opinion.

[Realist]

As we condone the execution of a former Iraqi leader who, basically,governed a secular gender equal society, we support the current leader of Iraq comments on the verdict of execution who's mandate is supported by shia extremism and iranian complience. Both are guilty of murder and bloodshed - But who would you really, in a realpolitik sense, want in power?

[TomTom]

Personally I think the death sentence unjustified in any circumstance. Lock him up and treat him with humanity

ONLY if Britain makes the same offer as over Milosevic............that he be imprisoned in Britain.

[Jack Stone]

Personally I think it would be better to put Sadaam in jail for life rather than execute him as I believe that executing him will cause more bloodshed and make him into a martyr but I do believe that our own country would be a safer place to live if we had the death penalty.
The U.S. have shown with there reduction in murder since they re-introduced the death penalty that it really does act as a deterant to some who may think twice about killing if they know they will face the same fate as there victim if caught but also I think that in some cases the crime is so horrific that death is the only just sentence.

[DavidTBreaker]

I cannot but feel this decision will result in more inter-ethnic violence in Iraq. I feel extradition, though he deserves to hang, would have been a more pragmatic answer.

[John Newcombe]

I am sure that neither Tony Blair nor George W Bush want Saddam Hussein executed for fear of him becoming regarded as some sort of martyr.

I am still convinced that we entered the Iraq War illegally and that it was not our fight.

If Tony Blair wants to rid this world of cruel dictators why doesn't he tackle Robert Mugabe?

The answer is that the Iraq War was really about a struggle for power and control of oil supplies. Tony Blair calls himself a Christian but I consider him to be a hypocrite.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[James Maskell]

Very sure of yourself Margaret...

[Margaret Wilson]

I get very worried with all this bloodlust about hanging from some Tories. I always thought the party was civilised even though the party has a big softspot, as it is being run by Homosexuals,but then a friend of mine said these people like this sort of thing.
I do not think I can vote for Mr Cameron yet.

[Yet Another Anon]

If Saddam Hussein's execution was shown on tv I'd watch it and celebrate - good riddance to the man, hanging is too good for him - he should be starved to death or killed with nerve gas, something slow and painful.

[Tory Loyalist]

I am not personally opposed to capital punishment, but I do strongly object to those (eg Tony Blair) who say they are opposed to it one moment and apparently applaud it the next.

The legitimacy of the Iraqi court, which in no way can be described as a fair and impartial tribunal, rests solely upon the bayonets of the US/UK occupying force. We cannot therefore wash our hands of the blood of this man.

The Americans have the power to pull the strings of their Iraqi puppets. Having regard to the men and money Britain has wasted on Bush's Iraq adventure, Blair should have insisted that this death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment.

But it's intriguing to see that the celebrated "Hang 'em and flog 'em" spirit of Toryism is alive and well in the Cameroon party.

If anything were calculated to turn me into an abolitionist it was the ridiculous conduct of conference delegates such as the man who waved a rope above his head, cowboy-style, on one memorable occasion.

Le plus ca change...