hmmmm....that is not what the Iraqis think.

riverbend has a new post:

Why make things worse by insisting on Saddam's execution now? Who gains if they hang Saddam? Iran, naturally, but who else? There is a real fear that this execution will be the final blow that will shatter Iraq. Some Sunni and Shia tribes have threatened to arm their members against the Americans if Saddam is executed. Iraqis in general are watching closely to see what happens next, and quietly preparing for the worst.

 This is because now, Saddam no longer represents himself or his regime. Through the constant insistence of American war propaganda, Saddam is now representative of all Sunni Arabs (never mind most of his government were Shia). The Americans, through their speeches and news articles and Iraqi Puppets, have made it very clear that they consider him to personify Sunni Arab resistance to the occupation. Basically, with this execution, what the Americans are saying is "Look- Sunni Arabs- this is your man, we all know this. We're hanging him- he symbolizes you." And make no mistake about it, this trial and verdict and execution are 100% American. Some of the actors were Iraqi enough, but the production, direction and montage was pure Hollywood (though low-budget, if you ask me).

Many years ago, I opened the newspaper and saw a picture of a family, including a child and her mother sprawled out on their front lawn victims of Saddams chemical weapons attack on a simple village that just happened to be the home town of some people who disagreed with his dictatorial regime and its persecution of Shi'a Moslems.

In memory of that picture alone, I'll personlly feel a sense of justice when I hear he is dead. I HURT when I saw it, and its horrible brutality has never left me.

This man has personally murdered hundreds and ordered the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

His death will not cause more conflict.

His supporters will of course be upset, but they are already among the ones planting the bombs...

The conflict is a continuation of the centuries old conflict between Sunni and Shi'a sects... Saddam was Sunni and subjugated the Shi'a... and the Kurds... unless a government capable of bringing the various groups together, there will truly be civil war and many thousands more will die. It is pursuit of that government that OUR government is now working towards. Too bad the Iraqi's don't have there own version of Abe Lincoln.

Perhaps with Saddams death, enough of the  Sunni's who hope and kill for a return of the "good" old days, will realize that this is not possible, and only a democratic form of government that insures the rights of all Iraqi's is the only possible way of averting a major bloodbath and providing a chance for a life without constant fear of death at any time for any reason.

All they care about is this: as the current war grinds on, as Iraq's death toll starts to approach Saddam's deadly legacy, as the Sunnis lose more and more of their power, as memories fade, Iraq's Sunni will think of Saddam's rule as a golden era. They'll remember Saddam as the leader who kept Iraq together, kept them on top and prosperous, kept the Shi'a and the Kurds in their place, and kept the Iranians from invading during the Iran-Iraq war. They may never look at Saddam as Saladin, the Muslim general who liberated Jerusalem in 1187. But when the rough edges do wear off, Sunnis will look at Saddam as a martyr.

Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer assigned to the Middle East

"We can't have you in Baghdad tomorrow. We cannot provide any protection for you. You can't see Saddam because he is not in our physical custody anymore,"

And as the Middle East goes up in flames,
There will be plenty of Americans to blame,
Many Americans to shuffle off this mortal coil,
In support of this illegal war for oil,
The reason why the Americans came.