The killing of 6,00,000 innocent people, ruthless war and execution of a leader – puppet show in the world political arena at the hands of a powerful nation, the United States. Saddam Hussein, held responsible for killing 148 Shias in the Dujail killing and a number of Kurds, was bravely held, unmoved and composed in his last moments, with Koran in his hands and God’s name on his lips. He was still better knows as “Mr. President” by the co-accused of the trial and his followers including the defense lawyers. Saddam, meaning “one who confronts” in Arabic, was dynamic and powerful, courageous and outright, but lacked the vision required to put all the above qualities together for a fruitful cause. He would be unfortunately remembered as a defiant ruler, who, in his final act as well, refused to don the customary hood offered by the hangman.
Saddam Hussein, a combination of violence and shrewd tactics, enjoyed over three decades of power and fame in Iraq. He invaded neighbors Iran and Kuwait in 1990 and was thus demonized by Western powers. He described the first Gulf war as “the mother of all battles” after being an ally of the United States, in his war against Shia Islamist Iran. But the United States changed colors after Saddam’s invasion of their ally Kuwait. For years, in the beginning, the United States seemed complacent and tried just to contain him. But after 9/11, Mr. Bush chose him as the target in his “war on terror” against Afghanistan.
Saddam Hussein is dead. And with him has died the overarching ambition that changed the picture of Iraq. But his execution has opened the floodgates instead of putting a barricade. In simple terms, “it’s unfortunate”. An execution by a Shia government which is a mere puppet in the hands of the United States, instead of an execution by the international war crimes tribunal, has set the mark for another possible civil war and sectarian crimes in Iraq and even the other parts of the world between Shias and Sunnis. Moreover, the whole scene of conducting the execution on Saturday, the day for celebration of Eid by Sunnis (while the Shias celebrated Eid on Sunday), raised more eyebrows over the issue.
India needs to take a stern stand now. Instead of just describing the episode as “unfortunate” and sitting back, it needs to come forward and raise awareness about the possible aftermaths of this execution. It needs to prevent a possible religious war in the sensitive Central Asian region. Only then can we hope to bring real justice for the sovereign republic of Iraq.
Written By: Anubhav Jain, IIM Indore
Saddam Hussein, a combination of violence and shrewd tactics, enjoyed over three decades of power and fame in Iraq. He invaded neighbors Iran and Kuwait in 1990 and was thus demonized by Western powers. He described the first Gulf war as “the mother of all battles” after being an ally of the United States, in his war against Shia Islamist Iran. But the United States changed colors after Saddam’s invasion of their ally Kuwait. For years, in the beginning, the United States seemed complacent and tried just to contain him. But after 9/11, Mr. Bush chose him as the target in his “war on terror” against Afghanistan.
Saddam Hussein is dead. And with him has died the overarching ambition that changed the picture of Iraq. But his execution has opened the floodgates instead of putting a barricade. In simple terms, “it’s unfortunate”. An execution by a Shia government which is a mere puppet in the hands of the United States, instead of an execution by the international war crimes tribunal, has set the mark for another possible civil war and sectarian crimes in Iraq and even the other parts of the world between Shias and Sunnis. Moreover, the whole scene of conducting the execution on Saturday, the day for celebration of Eid by Sunnis (while the Shias celebrated Eid on Sunday), raised more eyebrows over the issue.
India needs to take a stern stand now. Instead of just describing the episode as “unfortunate” and sitting back, it needs to come forward and raise awareness about the possible aftermaths of this execution. It needs to prevent a possible religious war in the sensitive Central Asian region. Only then can we hope to bring real justice for the sovereign republic of Iraq.
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