Saddam Hussein’s now infamous execution last week should not have stirred sympathy from anyone. Responsible for countless human rights violations and executions, Hussein was punished by the Iraqi government the way it saw fit, according to its laws.
However, the way in which the execution was carried out has proved to be more of a controversy than the actual execution, which provides insight into Iraq’s failing sense of order.
The United States handed Hussein over to the Iraqis so that they could carry out the sentence as they saw fit and Hussein’s death was predicted to be a symbolic display of a new direction for Iraq, as its government and the Bush administration’s struggle to demonstrate a sense of legitimacy and stability in the war-torn country.
Instead of using this milestone for such reasons, a video of the execution surfaced, showing a gross, unprofessional event, in which Hussein was taunted immediately before being hanged by men dressed casually in leather jackets, slacks and ski masks in a blatantly unorganized fashion.
Unfortunately, the relatively straightforward task at hand proved to be too much for the Iraqi government, indicating much deeper problems in the region then simply an execution gone awry. Rather, the government’s ability to gain full control in the region has come into question even more than before.
While President George W. Bush preaches that democracy and the values that come along with it are possible for the country, the world is seeing a different outcome
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