Wild justice

Sir— The execution of Saddam Hussein is a mockery of justice and a blatant violation of international law. The former president of Iraq was denied a fair trial. The United States of America had effectively sent him to the gallows from the day it invaded Iraq. The manner and the haste with which the US-led coalition forces went about executing Saddam proves that the Iraqi leader was punished for his defiance and non-compliance of the US diktat. Perhaps, America wants to send a strong message to ‘rogue nations’ like Iran and North Korea through the hanging of Saddam.

Yours faithfully,
Barun Kumar Mahapatro,

Berhampur, Orissa

Sir— The death sentence against Saddam Hussein came at the end of a farcical trial (“Saddam walks to death with defiance”, Dec 31). The Bush administration and its allies had no right to execute Saddam simply because the coalition forces have done more harm to Iraq than the deposed dictator. For one, the invasion of Iraq was an unprovoked act of aggression that was justified with lies and carried out in defiance of international law. The imperialist forces killed thousands of innocent Iraqis in the name of “regime change”. More worryingly, Iraqi people are still being terrorized by the occupation forces. The imperialists must be resisted at any cost before more crimes and atrocities against humanity are committed in Iraq.

Yours faithfully,
Rudra Sen, Calcutta

Sir— The world knows that the United States of America was covering up its misdeeds by putting Saddam Hussein on trial. It is a pity that the main culprit, George W. Bush, who invaded Iraq on false pretexts has managed to evade justice for so long.

Yours faithfully,
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir— After the terrorist strikes in America, the anti-Islamist tirade in the West helped turn Saddam Hussein into a symbol of resistance in the Islamic world. His execution is therefore a slur on the pride of an entire civilization. We deeply mourn his death and pray for the peace of his soul.

Yours faithfully,
Shariq Alavi, Lucknow

Sir— Finally, Saddam Hussein is dead and an era of matchless cruelty is over. Though Saddam is no more, people like him have not vanished from the country. The Americans have taken control of Iraq and are supposedly trying to bring peace to the country. But can Bush and his allies ensure that another Saddam will not come out of Iraq in the near future?

Yours faithfully,
Shailesh Kumar, Bangalore

Sir— The fact that Saddam Hussein was hanged after a mock trial came as a shock to the Arab world. If Saddam is indeed guilty of crimes against humanity, then George Bush, who has been instrumental in killing thousands of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, also deserves a similar fate. It would have been better if the former dictator was tried by an international court of justice, as was the case for Nazi leaders after the second world war.

Yours faithfully,
Angan Roy, Burdwan

Sir— George Bush may have got rid of an old enemy but the manner in which Saddam was tried, and then killed, will turn the latter into a martyr. Moreover, the hanging, held just before Id, was ill-timed and will hurt Muslim sentiments across the world. This is a time of forgiveness and compassion, and not punishment. Saddam’s death may have serious repercussions and destabilize Iraq further.

Yours faithfully,
Ranesh Chandra Dey, Melbourne

Sir— Saddam Hussein has been executed for his crimes against humanity. During his presidency, he brought immense sufferings on the Iraqis. However, the manner in which the former Iraqi president was executed raises a few questions. The judicial process set-up to prosecute Hussein was actually a trap set by America.

It is ironical that a country that likes to imagine itself as the saviour of the world has invaded a sovereign nation illegally, killing many people in the process. Saddam’s death will have a powerful impact in the Middle East. And America should brace itself to face the reprisals from people who were against the execution.

Yours faithfully,
Rajeev Ranjan Dwivedi, New Delhi

Sir— Hanging Saddam Hussein has been the biggest mistake that the US has committed in Iraq. The hanging will widen the rift between rival groups in the country and lead to an increase in sectarian violence. More important, Saddam’s death will strengthen the resolve of fundamentalist outfits to continue their war against occupation forces, resulting in more bloodshed in Iraq.

Yours faithfully,
Salil Gewali, Shillong

Sir— The gruesome pictures depicting the hanging of Saddam Hussein (“Hanged”, Dec 31) succeeded in sensationalizing the death of the former Iraqi leader. The reactions may have been mixed over Saddam’s death but what needs to be asked is whether there was any need to film the hanging. Even a tyrant like Saddam deserved to die in a more humane manner. Given his legacy of violence, history cannot be kind to Saddam. But, even then, he should not have been executed by a court that was incapable of delivering an impartial judgment.

Yours faithfully,
Tuli Das, Calcutta

Sir— Saddam Hussein’s death would undoubtedly deepen the crisis in Iraq. It is a pity that the Iraqis will now have to choose between the devil and the deep sea. The only way to restore peace in the region is by disarming and disbanding the troublemakers. Also, care has to be taken to ensure that Saddam’s death does not lead to the rise of another tyrant.

Yours faithfully,
Arvind K. Pandey, Allahabad

Sir— The much-awaited execution of the former Iraqi dictator comes as a breather for thousands of Shias and others who have been the target of his oppression for the last three decades. Although many consider his trial to be undemocratic, few seem to remember the terror Saddam Hussein had unleashed over his country.

Yours faithfully,
Rahul Roy, Calcutta

Sir— Why did the Indian masses get so agitated over Saddam Hussein’s hanging? It is not our business to interfere with what is happening in another sovereign nation. Why don’t we try to ensure instead that the terrorists who attacked the parliament are not granted mercy?

Yours faithfully,
G. Bhattacharya, Paschim Medinipur