The execution

The execution of Saddam Hussein will be one of those moments I will never forget.

We have all seen the footage of his demise, and have witnessed the impact Hussein has had on world politics. No less than 3 wars and an invasion have occurred in no small part to this man, an invasion of Kuwait, 2 wars with the United States and one with Iran. Millions of people have died as a result of his actions.

And I am skeptical that his execution was not only the done at the right time, but whether it was right at all.

I ponder his execution as a former soldier, a veteran. With nearly 3000 of my collegaues having been killed in Iraq, 9 of them I knew personally...is this what we invaded Iraq for? "Mission Accomplished" PRECEDED the deaths of 2861 soliders.

I took an oath 4 times, "To support and defend the Constitution of the United States...to obey the orders of the Officers appointed over me and the President of the United States, so help me God." I took that oath, in a good faith contract that those appointed over me (Officers and our Commander in Chief), would never put us in harms way without proper evidence. Our soldiers have died on a throne of lies, led by our President.

I ponder this from the perspective of the Kurdish people, like my friend Kani Xulam. Kani and his family fled persecution in Turkey and genocide at the hands of Saddam Hussein, coming to America to find a better life. They have had to fight deporation regularly, knowing if they go back to Turkey they will be executed. Back to Iraq? They will be oppressed by Sunni's and the Shitte's.

The Kurdish population never recieved the justice they deserved. Yes, a brutal dictator was executed. But, they did not get the opportunity to confront that man who killed their mother, father, and other loved ones.

The most horrendous aspect of the Kurdish genocide were the chemical attacks on Halabja. We have all seen the picture of the mother holding the infant, lying in street. Dead from a chemical agent attack.

1. Saddam got those chemical weapons from the US and other Western nations.

2. You cannot tell me the United States knew nothing of the Anfal Campaign, and the attacks using chemical weapons. These attacks occurred from the Spring of 1987 through the fall of 1988. Similar, though not proportionately, to the Holocaust, the United States had information and simply did not act.

Why?

At that time, Iran was a bigger evil than Iraq, and we supported Iraq. That bit us in the ass...

The Anfal campaign destroyed some 4000 Iraqi Kurd villages, wiping out 90% of everything in the villages targeted, hospitals, schools, utilities, churches.

Upwards of 182,000 Kurds were killed as a result of this genocidal ehtnic cleansing campaign.

Yet, Saddam will never stand trial for these actions. For that, I am sad, sad for my friend Kani and others who have fled the violence of Saddam Hussein.

What would have happened in the Nuermburg trials if the conspirators were tried and executed on the first charge, participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of crime against peace.

Or the second charge, planning, initiating and waging wars of aggression and other crimes against peace.

These "evil doers" would never have been tried for the more henious charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

All I ask for is a consistent ethic of life and a consistent application of justice.

I am not an advocate of the death penalty. I believe, especially in the pro-life conservatives who are pro-death penalty, it creates an inconsistent ethic of life.

I will be anxiously awaiting my next opportunity to have dinner with Kani to discuss these events. I just hope any expanding violence can be slowed...