To die or not to die, that is the question

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 17:19:21 +0000

My own opinion about executing Saddam Hussein aside (I'm against state sanctioned murder) the process as outlined on Radio4 just now seems about as bad as I can imagine. Here is how it was described:

The court having issued sentence of death
The prime minister writes to the presidency council asking for a decree
The council then either signs it, or they don't
If they don't, after 70 days, the sentence is automatically carried out anyway
The president doesn't like signing so he gets his deputy to do it

The council doesn't have the right to commit the sentence or do anything to it except, it seems, hold it up for 2 months. What's the point of asking them? And what kind of president is not so squeamish as permit state sponsored murder but too squamish to put his name to it? Brave man.

I don't think I've liked anything I've heard from Iraq since our governments lied their way into invading and breaking that country. This is just the latest thing I don't like.

Curiouser and Curiouser! on murder

To die or not to die, that is the question