Iraqi executions are an outrage

Iraqi executions are shameful, US must distance itself

The hanging of Saddam was no doubt a very important event in the history of Iraq. It marked the closure of the life of a very serious dictator and a threat to the people of the Middle East. However, I believe his execution has seriously harmed efforts for Sunnis and Shia to seek a peaceful solutions, has angered much of the world and has divided even strong allies of the United States. The United Kingdom's Labour Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who has been a very strong supporter of the US position in Iraq and one that has likely ushered in his ultimate downfall made clear he opposed the execution. Other international figures, such as the Pope also made clear they did not agree with the executions. After the outrageous filming, taunting and overall poor execution of Saddam, I believe reasonable efforts would have been made to keep things more clean the next time around. This does not seem to have happened.

The Iraqi government hanged Barzan Ibrahim and Awad Hamed al-Bandar together (something they denied to Saddam) as reported by the BBC. Barzan was a half brother of Saddam and Al-Bandar was a former justice. The hanging was a complete debacle for several reasons. Firstly, a taping occured which while limited the exposure as it did not get placed on the internet, still denied the dying dignity. I cannot speak for this execution as far as the uniforms of the guards, but if it was like that of Saddam they were wearing leather jackets and ski masks. This certainly is the uniform of a legitimate government! Lastly, as if to throw the entire event in our faces, Barzan was actually decapitated! Decapitation has been the tool of rebels, radicals and Islamic nuts. I'd personally like to inspect the rope used to make sure it wasn't made of piano wire.

Simply because international leaders don't want to see someone die doesn't mean Iraqi leaders should have called off the executions. I am not condemning the very fact that theses men were put to death, but how it was done. It was done in a shameful way that has angered Iraqis even more and has undermined the legitimacy of the Iraqi government. This could have been a fairly formal event that would have shown the Iraqi government to be willing to step up and make a real effort to seem in control. They dropped the ball once again.