Executing Saddam

I should say at the outset that I'm against capital punishment. I believe it is a barbaric act that reduces society to the level of the murderer being executed.

And based on my previous posts, my reader knows that I'm a reliable critic of George W. Bush's misbegotten war. It was founded on lies concocted by arrogant men too full of their own power. A war thus waged can be neither just nor moral.

But the war did remove the ruthless murderer Saddam Hussein, who seems as close as a man can get to being evil personified. The first official charges against him were recently filed, and more will follow. A trial could be held as soon as this year. No doubt Saddam will be convicted of the most heinous of crimes. What should be his sentence?

Although my reason and intellect inform me that capital punishment is immoral, my gut and emotion nevertheless fantasize about ways to dispatch a fiend like Saddam. (My gut is wrong.) So for purposes of fantasy only, I'll share just a bit of my private thoughts.

I've imagined a public hanging, before the world's eyes and cameras. Saddam would remain unhooded, and the cameras would zoom in close. All could watch his eyes as the noose was placed around his neck. The thought of Saddam flopping briefly at the end of a rope, with his own excreta fouling his pants, warms some dark place inside of me to which I must not often go.

Hanging is not a very dignified way to die. But it's not especially creative, either. For scum like Saddam, we can do better. How about this: Throw Saddam into a pit, about ten feet deep. Allow anyone who wishes to do so to file past the pit and spit into it. Give priority to Iraqis. The procession would thus continue until the pit fills and Saddam drowns.

There, I've got that off my chest. Now lock the bastard up someplace secure for the rest of his wretched life.

Copyright (C) 2005 James Michael Brennan, All Rights Reserved