Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq, has been convicted in the 1982 killings of 148 residents of Dujail, Iraq. He has been sentenced to hang, but due to Iraqi law, an appellate court will, in approximately a month, to begin proceedings to review the case.
According to cnn.com, the reaction in Iraq has been mixed. Many are happy with the results, taking to the streets in order to show their appreciation. They fired guns in the air, held pictures of murdered victims from Dujail, and burned pictures of Hussein.
However, on the other side, 2,000 people showed up in the streets to show their anger with the verdict and support for Hussein. It was in violation of the government curfew applicable for the day and was comprised primarily of Sunnis. The demonstration, according to a witness, grew throughout the day.
President Bush spoke of how, “[Hussein’s conviction is] a major achievement for Iraq’s young democracy and its constitutional government,” He also said that it was, “a milestone in the Iraqi people’s efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law.”
However, not all international leaders were so optimistic. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, according to Huffingtonpost.com on November 9, felt that the deposed leader’s “…verdict will explode violence like waterfalls in Iraq.” Furthermore, according to signonsandiego.com, British leader Tony Blair and the Dalai Lama wished for the execution to be stayed.
According to cnn.com, the appeal process is now in motion. The cases of Hussein and three other convicts will be forwarded to the appellate chamber of the Iraqi High Tribunal. According to the current system, life sentences and executions are automatically appealed. The appellate chamber will receive the prosecution and defense documents within 20 days of the appeal.
The appeals process will likely take three to four weeks once the official paperwork is submitted, according to an Associated Press court official. Unfortunately, there is no time limit for the appellate court to form a ruling.
“The Saddam Hussein era is in the past now, as was the era of Hitler and Mussolini,” said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, while calling Hussein the country’s worst leader in history.
Many Iraqis wanted “swift” and “summary” justice, Kurdish deputy prime minister Barhim Salih told CNN, but Iraq “abided by the legality of the process.” Salih called it an “historic day.”
If the sentences are upheld when the decision is made by the higher court, they must be carried out in 30 days. The Iraqi government will carry out the executions, not the coalition currently involved with the country’s political system.
The potential execution of Hussein has implications around the world, including PSU. Many students in the military have either gone to Iraq or are preparing to do so, and his execution is suspected by many to be the catalyst that would cause many of those troops to be able to stand down.
PSU psychology major Tara Cassiday disagreed, saying that, “[Hussein] would suffer more in jail for the rest of his life. Why are we killing him when we are mad at him for killing?”
Junior Stephanie O’Neal was in support of the court’s decision, saying that, “Yes, I do believe he should be executed because deserves to be killed because of the atrocities he has committed against his people and humanity in general.”
Hussein was responsible for the invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990, which initiated the First Gulf War. After 23 days of bombing and other attacks on Iraqi forces, the Gulf War Armistice was signed on February 9, 1991. As part of the conditions of the Armistice, Hussein agreed to two No-Fly Zones and several other conditions.
Between 1991 and 2003, Hussein committed a variety of offenses against the Armistice. They included violations of the No-Fly Zones, refusals to allow weapons inspectors into the nation and misappropriations of funds meant for Kuwaiti infrastructure rebuilding and relieving the poverty of his people.