Saddam’s Aftermath: The Milestone That Wasn’t

Saddam’s Aftermath: The Milestone That Wasn’t

Saddam’s Aftermath: The Milestone That Wasn’t

The Bush Administration hoped that a guilty verdict for Saddam Hussein two days before the midterm elections would boost the electoral fortunes of sagging Republicans. It didn’t. Once sentenced, they hoped that his execution would bring some much-needed good news to an Iraq policy in shambles and a country torn apart by an escalating civil war. It hasn’t.

It’s amazing that the death of Saddam, a man considered by pretty much everyone to have been a horrible dictator, could backfire on the Bush Administration and the Shiite-dominated government of Iraq. But the grizzly hanging–and the nasty cellphone recorded taunts that followed–can now be viewed as yet another chapter in the evolving story of “What Went Wrong.”

Saddam’s execution, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman noted today, “resembled a tribal revenge ritual rather than the culmination of a constitutional process in which America should be proud to have participated.”

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

The Bush Administration hoped that a guilty verdict for Saddam Hussein two days before the midterm elections would boost the electoral fortunes of sagging Republicans. It didn’t. Once sentenced, they hoped that his execution would bring some much-needed good news to an Iraq policy in shambles and a country torn apart by an escalating civil war. It hasn’t.

It’s amazing that the death of Saddam, a man considered by pretty much everyone to have been a horrible dictator, could backfire on the Bush Administration and the Shiite-dominated government of Iraq. But the grizzly hanging–and the nasty cellphone recorded taunts that followed–can now be viewed as yet another chapter in the evolving story of “What Went Wrong.”

Saddam’s execution, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman noted today, “resembled a tribal revenge ritual rather than the culmination of a constitutional process in which America should be proud to have participated.”

The government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a man increasingly under fire, today detained one of Saddam’s guards for possibly leaking the cellphone video. But the Times reported that another man present with a cellphone was Maliki’s national security advisor, Mowaffak al-Rubaie. The plot thickens.

The Bush Administration is presently–and rather unconvincingly–trying to blame Maliki for rushing Saddam’s execution. “American officials said that they had worked until the last hours of Mr. Hussein’s life to persuade Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki to delay the execution,” the Times reported.

Maybe so. But the Bush Administration is to blame for botching Saddam’s trial, by holding it inside Iraq and outside the jurisdiction of international law. If Saddam was given over to the International Criminal Court, there would have been no cellphone pictures, no taunting, no scandal and no execution.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x