OK all, I've struggled with how to go about this for a couple of hours now. There was great outcry from around the world when Saddam was executed a couple of weeks ago, and there's bound to be more after this botched hanging. Now, I know that the army has published a manual on how to go about hanging someone (if anyone can find a link to it, I'll put it here), and apparently it was not handed over to the Iraqi executioners along with the prisoners.
I would classify myself as anti-death penalty unless the accused wants to be killed.
Now, I'm sure that we've all seen the video of Saddam's hanging with all the curses and whatnot that the crowd were hurling at him.
What I want to know is if you've ever seen a video of an execution that he ordered.
I was surfing my old computer this morning, cleaning out old files, and came across a brief video of an Iraqi execution under Saddam. It is linked here. extreme warning! This video is VERY graphic, and should not be considered safe for work, safe for home when small children are around, etc.
I am in no way saying that he deserved to die. I am saying that he died in a much more humane manner than the people he ordered killed. Now, I don't know what these folks did. They *might* have been real criminals. Of course, the also *might* have been totally innocent.
Being decapitated during an execution is not good. It means they screwed up the execution. That being said, it is significantly better than the alternative, which would be to be left dangling in the wind while you strangle.
Discuss.
I would classify myself as anti-death penalty unless the accused wants to be killed.
Now, I'm sure that we've all seen the video of Saddam's hanging with all the curses and whatnot that the crowd were hurling at him.
What I want to know is if you've ever seen a video of an execution that he ordered.
I was surfing my old computer this morning, cleaning out old files, and came across a brief video of an Iraqi execution under Saddam. It is linked here. extreme warning! This video is VERY graphic, and should not be considered safe for work, safe for home when small children are around, etc.
I am in no way saying that he deserved to die. I am saying that he died in a much more humane manner than the people he ordered killed. Now, I don't know what these folks did. They *might* have been real criminals. Of course, the also *might* have been totally innocent.
Being decapitated during an execution is not good. It means they screwed up the execution. That being said, it is significantly better than the alternative, which would be to be left dangling in the wind while you strangle.
Discuss.