Ding! Dong! The Bitch Is Dead!

Less than three hours ago, less than three days before the end of the year, probably the most imfamous Iraqis in world history was executed. At 6:05 am, on December 29th, the fromer president of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, was executed by hangging. And, unfortunately, Iraq was no different than it was at 6:04 am. Iraq, as content and jovial the Iraqi people may be, his death did not, will not and has not made Iraq a better place. If anything, everyone agrees that Saddam's death will not mean peace for Iraq, as if it was the picture of Woodstock to begin with.

On March 20th, 2003, the United States invasion of Iraq culminated with the fall of the Iraqi government and the capture of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. That day has been marked visually throughout history with the tumbling down of the statue of Saddam Hussein. That crumbling statue had more signifigence than a simple statue. That statue for all intent and purposes marked the end of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Nearly four years has passed and during the meantime, tens of thousand of Iraqis have been killed, nearly 3,000 American soldiers have been killed and the nation of Iraqi itself has struggled and struggled to unite their government, protect it's people and to provide for them welfare and security. But now, Saddam Hussein has been executed and the best I can describe this is a moral victory for the Iraqi people. Many Iraqi's will die tomorrow. More American soldiers will be killed. Many Iraqis still don't have adaquate electricity. The streets reek of trash, sewage and burnt rubber. Gun fire in Baghdad is just about as normal as it is in any ghetto across the nation. Regardless of the fact that Saddam is dead or alive, the fact remains, Iraq still faces a dire situation that is not getting any better.

And as I sit here, I hear of the stories surrouding his execution and cannot help but to be disturbed. It's been reported that those present at his execution danced and celebrated, not just at the fact that he died, but at the fact that they dance at his body. Now, I know this death carries a grave signifigence, but I've never killed anyone personally. The bodies of the deceased that I've given me a wide range of feelings, celebration is not among them. What's worse is the fact that Hussein kept his people in fear by publicily broadcasting executions, even on holidays. Oddly enough, the same thing has happened here.

Fact of the matter is, Saddam's reign ended inMarch of 2003. His death now is nonconsequential. Actually, this was a fore gone conclusion waiting to be reached since that time. After all he's done in Iraq, those people could not wait to get their hands on him. His trial was theater. Like they were actually going to find him not guilty. He received one appeal and security of the former president was given up for less than 30 minutes before he was executed. Thirty minutes. I can make a grill cheese sandwich during that time. They wanted him dead. The lack of a coherent legal system didn't matter. Lack of due process did not matter. What mattered is Saddam Hussein dead. And to what end? Everything he was died nearly four years ago.