Saturday, December 30, 2006

Victory for reason?

On the subject of Saddam Hussein's hanging...

From the Scotsman:

"Hamid Alkifaey, a former Iraqi politician, said: "It is a victory for justice, it is a victory for ordinary Iraqi people over tyranny, it is a victory for reason and it is a day of joy for all human beings."
US President George Bush said: "Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain and defend itself."
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the statement from Mrs Beckett spoke for the whole government, including the Prime Minister.
Mrs Beckett said: "I welcome the fact that Saddam Hussein has been tried by an Iraqi court for at least some of the appalling crimes he committed against the Iraqi people. He has now been held to account."
She added that the Government "does not support the use of the death penalty, in Iraq or anywhere else" but added that "we respect the decision" of Iraqi authorities.
However, a statement from the Vatican today said the execution was a "tragic event like all capital punishments" and risked fomenting a spirit of vendetta and sowing new violence in Iraq."


Colour me surprised, but I find myself agreeing with the Vatican on this. I feel sad that killing anyone, no matter how despicable, is a source of celebration to some people.

And I have no idea how it can be seriously described as a "victory for reason".

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