In Baghdad, Saddam Hussein has been sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of crimes against humanity in ordering the deaths of 148 Shiite villagers in 1982. The Iraqi tribunal also handed down death sentences to former revolutionary chief judge Awad Hamed al-Bander and Saddam's half brother and former intelligence chief Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti for their role in the killings.

Saddam Hussein's former vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan was given a life sentence. Three other co-defendants were sentenced to 15 years in prison and one, Mohammad al-Azawy, was found not guilty of the charges and immediately released.

It is unclear when the death sentences will be carried out.

Despite the curfew in place in Baghdad, supporters and opponents of the former dictator have taken to the streets. Police and army are on high alert amid the tense security situation.

(Source: RNW.nl)

<font color=skyblue>As well as many countries in the world are saying that the death sentence is not acceptable because most countries in the world do not have a death sentence on their books.

Of course, now he has 30 days to appeal the decision, and who knows how long the appeal procedure will take place.</font>

He *will* be executed. He was a leader of a nation that lost a war and is now occupied. I pity him.

Heh...our Prime Minister told the press that he was more or less happy with the verdict. Coming from the leader of a country where the death penalty is an absolute no-no, that just doesn't sound right.

Actually, i'm kinda shocked by such violent thoughts of our enlightened leader. :D

<font color=skyblue>He has not earned pity from anyone, so your charitable pity is admirable. Calling him a "leader" of a nation is debatable as well.</font>

Better yet. He's supposed to be Christian? So much for thou shallt not kill!

I don't support the death penalty and don't support the verdict. You do not defeat the monster by becoming the monster.

Killing Saddam will make him a Martyr and only serve to publicise and even substanciate any lies or falsehoods he's spoken.

Yes he sent many to their deaths, and yes he's been an evil man. But if a government kills him, it actually legitemises his actions in condemning 148 people to death.

Can't people see the inherant contradiction in that?

Saddam is found guilty of sentencing people to death.
Punishment = sentenced to death.

Huh?????

Not that I'm a fan of the death penalty, but it bugs me when people quote the Ten Commandments in opposing it. Thou shall not kill is better translated as Thou shall not murder--just look at all the other offenses in Exodus where the penalty is being stoned to death.

Or look at all the times in the Old Testament where the Isrealites are ordered to kill every man, woman, and child of their enemies. The Old Testament is just not the place to find any arguments against killing during war, or as a punishment for crimes.

To be a leader of a nation, must one have the peoples voice behind them? For good or for worse, a leader of a nation leads the nation. Yes, Saddam may have been 'evil', but does a leadership role really have to incorporate the support of whom is being lead? Was he not the leader of Iraq?

Well I certainly can Yorick. I find the death sentence wrong in so many ways, but rest assured I wont be losing sleep over this loser.

Of course it is up to us that oppose the death sentence to offer an alternative punishment that may be acceptable to his victims. Personally I would make him shovel shit in a pig sty 18 hours a day then the rest of the day can be spent being preached to by the Reverend Ted Haggard and his male special friends! :D