Sadaam Hussein is dead. I expected to write those words in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, and with the 15 year delay they take on even greater meaning than they would have then. President Bush, in his statement on the execution of the deposed dictator, rightly reminded the world that Sadaam was sentenced after a fair trial by the Iraqi government and his subsequent execution was the completion of Iraqi justice. Sadaam was executed by Iraqis for crimes against his own people, crimes including torture, murder, genocide (Kurds), and starving citizens through his stubborn failure to comply with UN resolutions regarding WMD inspections. Clearly Sadaam was an oppressive, brutal dictator who merited his ultimate fate.
The President appropriately reminded the world that before this war fair trials and elected representation did not exist in Iraq. Having been given the opportunity to govern themselves, Iraqis chose to execute Sadaam quickly and continue on the path to a successful democracy. They do not enjoy the luxury of debating and second-guessing the justifications for and execution of the war. They are far too focused on the survival of their elected government to dwell on how or why this gift of freedom was given to them.
The permanent removal of Sadaam from the Iraqi psyche will inject fresh commitment and courage into the efforts of the Iraqi government to nurture the fledgling democracy. While Sadaam lived, many Iraqis continued to harbor fears of a possible return to power in which Sadaam might rule with even more horror and bloodshed. His execution will quell such sentiments and truly end the nightmare of Sadaam experienced firsthand by millions of his citizens.
Many anti-war pundits argue that the removal of Sadaam only replaced a dictator with hordes of Al Qaeda and other terrorists, and thus the Iraqi people are in more danger than ever. That analysis misses the obvious and critical point of freedom: the danger to Iraqis is no longer posed by their own leader and his government. Iraqis now face the same danger we face here and Israelis have faced for decades, and that is terrorism. These newcomers to democracy have made remarkable progress in cobbling together an elected government and it stands to reason that if such an ethnically diverse population can unite on self-rule, they will also unite on a national strategy to combat terrorism in their country. Having opened the door for this democracy, we must remain as long as requested to preserve its fragile foundations.
Iraq War War On Terror Sadaam Hussein Al Qaeda Iraq execution
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