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Last update - 00:00 05/01/2007
History and Hussein's hanging
By Alon Liel

The reactions to the hanging of Saddam Hussein have been far less enthusiastic than those that greeted the fall of his regime, or his later capture by the Americans. Hanging political leaders is almost a thing of the past, and in most democratic nations there is even a constitutional prohibition of such an act.

Saddam Hussein was a cruel enemy, both for the Americans and for ourselves, and his exit from the political arena was very welcome. Nevertheless, his death by hanging is problematic.

I am troubled by how the hanging will be viewed 20 or 30 years from now, both in Iraq and in the United States. In order to try and assess that, let me take our readers on a little visit to look at the issue of hangings in Iraq's neighbor, Turkey.
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On May 27, 1960, the Turkish army deposed the prime minister at the time, Adnan Menderes. He was a great friend of the West, brought Turkey into NATO, fought alongside the United States in Korea, and toward the end of his term even signed a secret agreement with Israel. He was not popular among the military or the Turkish left. He was an avowed capitalist and strengthened the business sector, but there was concern in Turkey that there would be a growth in the social gap and a decrease in freedom of speech.

Rumbles of criticism began to be heard and Menderes tried to stifle them. Street demonstrations, especially of students, started; at one of them, on April 28, 1960, the police shot and killed five demonstrators. Menderes' trial lasted about a year, and in August 1961, he and two of his senior cabinet ministers were sentenced to death and duly hanged.

No one in Turkey would hang Adnan Menderes today, not only because he has gained posthumous respect in the eyes of the Turkish public, but because capital punishment has been abolished in contemporary Turkey.

There is one leader that Turkey would very much like to see on the gallows: Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. The democratic West asked Turkey not to hang him. More than that: The enlightened democratic West, champion of human and prisoners' rights, asked Turkey to abolish capital punishment altogether. Turkey gritted its teeth and ended public hangings, in an attempt to be like the European democracies.

In the eyes of the Turks, Ocalan is a far greater criminal than Saddam Hussein. They blame him for the murder of 30,000 people, but his life is not in danger, because Europe asked that it be that way.

The United States, Europe's chief ally, has a different scale of values. America still has the death sentence. Turkey of today could be accepted into the European Union; however, the United States, leader of the free world, would not meet its criteria.

The history books have meanwhile recorded two events: that the United States hanged Saddam Hussein, while Europe saved Abdullah Ocalan. I am willing to wager that in another 20 or 30 years, the United States will be embarrassed by the hanging of the Iraqi dictator, and Europe will be proud of having saved Abdullah Ocalan. The difference between the two democratic continents does not lie in their level of compassion (an important word in the European political lexicon). Europe is geographically closer to the Middle East, and understands it far better than the Americans. It is possible that Europe also has a better understanding of the depths of the human soul.

Still, my wager is just a wager. It will take many long days before we know whether I was right.

Alon Liel teaches international relations and diplomacy and is former director general of Israel's Foreign Ministry.
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  1.   iraq and the usa 09:17  |  flashman 05/01/07
  2.   dear mr bush 09:21  |  flashman 05/01/07
  3.   THE ANGEL OF DEATH: CHEEESEE 09:32  |  indrajaya 05/01/07
  4.   Not a bad article,Mr.Liel,but..... 09:34  |  Hastaroth 05/01/07
  5.   Actually they already are 09:35  |  Marilyn 05/01/07
  6.   Ultimately? 09:40  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/01/07
  7.   evil America 09:51  |  Christian 05/01/07
  8.   and it is not just capital punishment 10:06  |  cool 05/01/07
  9.   indrajaya why is singapore doing so well 10:12  |  tommy suharto 05/01/07
  10.   A cruel enemy of America? 10:13  |  Mar4lene 05/01/07
  11.   marilyn "pinochet lived out his life in britain" 10:39  |  flashman 05/01/07
  12.   Saddam Hussein snuff videos the darkest propaganda game of all 10:41  |  RefugeeFromUSA 05/01/07
  13.   marilyn and "the barbarians at the gate" 10:41  |  yirmi 05/01/07
  14.   marilyn the hangmen shouted "moqtader" 10:42  |  yirmi 05/01/07
  15.   Comparing Ocalan with Saddam ?? 10:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/01/07
  16.   We Didn`t Hang Saddam! 10:54  |  Yosemite Sam 05/01/07
  17.   That`s a Lame Argument 10:55  |  Jeff Northridge 05/01/07
  18.   Flashman #1 11:03  |  dana 05/01/07
  19.   # 14, YIRMI 11:10  |  indrajaya 05/01/07
  20.   Bush: Two more years of "milling about smartly" 11:34  |  Natallie Durson 05/01/07
  21.   Sins of the idiot fathers 11:34  |  Hannah 05/01/07
  22.   Ocalan and Saddam 11:41  |  Hillel 05/01/07
  23.   Marilyn needs serious help 12:01  |  Anubhav 05/01/07
  24.   Snuff video 12:02  |  Marcus 05/01/07
  25.   Does Israel regret hanging Eichmann? 12:05  |  Ilan 05/01/07
  26.   #12 refugee of USA 12:23  |  BATMAN 05/01/07
  27.   # 17, MARCUS, VENGEANCE 12:24  |  indrajaya 05/01/07
  28.   #1 flashman - yes, but (repost) 12:40  |  dana 05/01/07
  29.   Americas hearts and minds . . . . 14:16  |  revoltop 05/01/07
  30.   Poor Article 14:26  |  Turk 05/01/07
  31.   The entire Bush pr4sidency is an embarassment 14:44  |  SR 05/01/07
  32.   kore dathan&abarim 15:14  |  alfred youngberg 05/01/07
  33.   Don`t bet because you will lose. 15:18  |  Harry 05/01/07
  34.   The US created Saddam then turned him into a monster 15:37  |  Dav 05/01/07
  35.   Gas from the US? 15:43  |  Dav 05/01/07
  36.   Ultimately? No Mark, in the end as at the begining 15:43  |  Mark Lincoln 05/01/07
  37.   NONSENSE 15:45  |  NEIL 05/01/07
  38.   The Myth of Intellectual Superiority 15:47  |  Tony Anthony 05/01/07
  39.   Dav # 29 The Rush to Execution 16:54  |  Jeff Northridge 05/01/07
  40.   Barbaric Execution by Barbarians 17:04  |  Jane 05/01/07
  41.   Hangings and Handlings 17:06  |  Ronnie Wolman 05/01/07
  42.   Mark Lincoln # 36 You`re Right About One Thing 17:38  |  Jeff Northridge 05/01/07
  43.   36 Mark Lincoln - The Spin Machine 17:39  |  Mark of Lewiston 05/01/07
  44.   The last fake excuse for the Invasion: Saddam`s cruelty 18:53  |  Tosefta 05/01/07
  45.   Hanging Hitler 19:05  |  Asher 05/01/07
  46.   Eating Chicken and Saddam 19:13  |  FOX 05/01/07
  47.   #22 so right, stupid article, no comparison 19:19  |  Bob 05/01/07
  48.   #27 the difference between jewish and arab vengeance 19:26  |  Bob 05/01/07
  49.   Tsofetta: racism for the cause 19:52  |  FOX 05/01/07
  50.   Turk # 30 Yes, It Was Too Poor 19:58  |  Jeff Northridge 05/01/07
  51.   History and Hussein`s hanging reply 20:49  |  David 05/01/07
  52.   Jane, you are also barbarians for committing 21:10  |  Jew 05/01/07
  53.   Bob the liarrrrr, we too murder children 21:12  |  Israeli Jew 05/01/07
  54.   Saddam`s End - Two Versions 21:24  |  Victor Smolinsky 05/01/07
  55.   Ronnie Wolman, simple answer to your question 21:24  |  Ibrahim 05/01/07
  56.   Cowards act 21:28  |  Ah 05/01/07
  57.   Ibrahim: Conundrums `R` Us 22:25  |  Ronnie Wolman 05/01/07
  58.   #52, 53 lies? - not a Jew and not an Israeli, not worth my time 22:30  |  Bob 05/01/07
  59.   Saddam`s Hanging 23:26  |  James Bailey 05/01/07
  60.   Bob: when you and likes of you are cornered...and 23:29  |  Jew 05/01/07
  61.   Baghdad Bob and Washington Tony - Mark of Lewiston 23:37  |  Mark Lincoln 05/01/07
  62.   Jeff Northridge - Requiem for an egomaniac 23:42  |  Mark Lincoln 05/01/07
  63.   The US created Saddam then turned him into a monster? 23:44  |  Mark Lincoln 05/01/07
  64.   Come on people. He got what he deserved !!! 23:45  |  Avrum 05/01/07
  65.   Come on people. He got what he deserved !!! 23:45  |  Avrum 05/01/07
  66.   Bob # 58 How Clever of You to Notice 23:48  |  Jeff Northridge 05/01/07
  67.   Jew # 52 00:25  |  Avrum 06/01/07
  68.   Jew and Israeli Jew 00:30  |  Avrum 06/01/07
  69.   None 00:39  |  None 06/01/07
  70.   Take it from an Iraqi 00:55  |  NZ 06/01/07
  71.   Jeff Northridge you sound like 01:20  |  samir 06/01/07
  72.   Avrum - he got the justice he dispensed 02:00  |  Mark Lincoln 06/01/07
  73.   NZ fro Sterling Hights 02:04  |  Mark Lincoln 06/01/07
  74.   Alon Liel 02:07  |  Brod 06/01/07
  75.   Everybody Hates...Until They Need One 02:07  |  Dale 06/01/07
  76.   #71 samir, you sound like 02:20  |  Bob 06/01/07
  77.   Wake up people 02:31  |  jeff atkinson 06/01/07
  78.   Dale # 75 02:50  |  Victor Smolinsky 06/01/07
  79.   Liel couldn`t lie straight in bed 03:03  |  Asa 06/01/07
  80.   samir # 71 Wrong! 03:12  |  Jeff Northridge 06/01/07
  81.   Bumming America and #75 03:26  |  Patricia 06/01/07
  82.   Saddam vs. Bush; a comparison 03:37  |  Tosefta 06/01/07
  83.   The US 04:03  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  84.   #70 04:09  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  85.   #65 04:13  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  86.   #78 04:27  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  87.   #70 NZ- pathetic feelings for a dead dictator 04:31  |  Bob 06/01/07
  88.   The Weirdest Part Of The Video Was When... 04:37  |  Yosemite Sam 06/01/07
  89.   #78 to Victor 04:44  |  Bob 06/01/07
  90.   #82 Good sense of humor 05:12  |  Bob 06/01/07
  91.   # 82, TOSEFTA 05:26  |  indrajaya 06/01/07
  92.   #82 Tosefta, in response to your postings, it`s difficult to 06:17  |  Smadar 06/01/07
  93.   #77 fair trials etc. 06:35  |  jojo 06/01/07
  94.   #82 Tosefta, Part II, a continuation ... 06:52  |  Smadar 06/01/07
  95.   NZ 06:55  |  sweis Melbourne 06/01/07
  96.   #70 Take it from an Iraqi -Not 07:15  |  Seymour 06/01/07
  97.   Misplaced priorities on the "leftist" agenda 08:58  |  Marwan مروان خوري 06/01/07
  98.   the US has nothing personal against Saddam 09:05  |  Isratinian 06/01/07
  99.   one more martyr 09:10  |  rose 06/01/07
  100.   #97 Marwan apologist . . . 11:03  |  revoltop 06/01/07
  101.   #98 WHATS YOUR IDEA ROSE CRUCIFIXION?? 11:12  |  paul harris 06/01/07
  102.   Brave man Saddam! 11:35  |  Dav 06/01/07
  103.   # 98, ISRATINIAN 11:39  |  indrajaya 06/01/07
  104.   re#93 "fair trials" 12:01  |  jeff atkinson 06/01/07
  105.   Saddam know to much 12:07  |  Dav 06/01/07
  106.   re#99 Hussein a "Martyr", Yeah right! 12:11  |  jeff atkinson 06/01/07
  107.   Nothing will embarrass the US 12:23  |  Isratinian 06/01/07
  108.   To paul harris # 101 12:27  |  isratinian 06/01/07
  109.   Saddam`s End. 12:27  |  David Nigel Braham 06/01/07
  110.   RE "The US has nothing personnel against Saddam" 12:28  |  jeff atkinson 06/01/07
  111.   To BoB .....76 12:51  |  Samir 06/01/07
  112.   To Jeff Atkinson #110 14:08  |  isratinian 06/01/07
  113.   Dav #102 14:16  |  FOX 06/01/07
  114.   ONE MORE MARTYR 14:28  |  Sweis Melbourne 06/01/07
  115.   TOSEFTA "BUSH LEAVING HIS COUNTRY 14:58  |  REUBEN REUBEN 06/01/07
  116.   TOSEFTA "SADDAM IMPOSED ORDER IN IRAQ" 15:02  |  REUBEN REUBEN 06/01/07
  117.   the financial times and turkey 15:07  |  harvey morris 06/01/07
  118.   Bush equals O sama 15:09  |  muisaka 06/01/07
  119.   TOSEFTA "SADDAM WAS A COMPETENT 15:10  |  REUBEN REUBEN 06/01/07
  120.   Lynn # 86 - Question? 15:24  |  Victor Smolinsky 06/01/07
  121.   #111 Samir`s true face 15:24  |  Bob 06/01/07
  122.   Full Circle/ 15:46  |  Dave Rosen 06/01/07
  123.   Middle East - War Torn Region 16:18  |  Eman 06/01/07
  124.   Indrajaya #91 16:45  |  Tosefta 06/01/07
  125.   samir I don`t get it 17:01  |  bev 06/01/07
  126.   #92 Smadar; on cruelty 17:04  |  Tosefta 06/01/07
  127.   rose you are wrong 17:05  |  bev 06/01/07
  128.   Tosefta missing the point 17:31  |  FOX 06/01/07
  129.   Tosefta #121 17:38  |  FOX 06/01/07
  130.   #120 Tosefta, Hamilton-Baker Report indicates the insurgents not 17:46  |  Smadar 06/01/07
  131.   Ignorance 17:51  |  Scott 06/01/07
  132.   Europe`s understanding of the Mideast 17:59  |  Thomas Mitchell 06/01/07
  133.   Looking for a new home for my dog Dumbite #115-6 18:02  |  Tosefta 06/01/07
  134.   Isratinian: You are one of those idiots 18:08  |  Scott 06/01/07
  135.   Saddam knew too much...Dav 18:16  |  Scott 06/01/07
  136.   This is why Saddam had to go 18:50  |  justiceseeker 06/01/07
  137.   #128 Tosefta, on a brighter note... 19:52  |  Smadar 06/01/07
  138.   lynn 19:54  |  fluvogger 06/01/07
  139.   #119 19:56  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  140.   20 years from now it will be Eurabia 19:57  |  ace 06/01/07
  141.   fox cruelty in iraq can only be genetic 20:02  |  abdelkarimqassem 06/01/07
  142.   fox the extreme cruelty of iraqis has nothing 20:05  |  abdelkarimqassem 06/01/07
  143.   fox it is possible that the highlands of iran 20:11  |  abdelkarimqassem 06/01/07
  144.   Prospects (Smadar #134) 21:16  |  Tosefta 06/01/07
  145.   #104 fair trials 22:03  |  jojo 06/01/07
  146.   Re: Eurabia, WRONG! 22:28  |  jojo 06/01/07
  147.   Lynn # 137 22:29  |  Victor Smolinsky 06/01/07
  148.   The Bottom Line 22:42  |  Jeff Northridge 06/01/07
  149.   Tosefta`s Dumbite Dog - so why give such a nice doggie away 22:43  |  dana 06/01/07
  150.   the bottom line 23:06  |  jojo 06/01/07
  151.   Bush the Barbarian 23:42  |  margaret 06/01/07
  152.   #139 23:54  |  Lynn 06/01/07
  153.   My dog Dumbite (Dana #149) 00:39  |  Tosefta 07/01/07
  154.   Chanah And Vengeance 01:01  |  Tim 07/01/07
  155.   #143 Iraqis, syrians, egyptians are all one people-Arabs 01:03  |  Bob 07/01/07
  156.   Deserved his fate 01:22  |  bounce 07/01/07
  157.   Compassion or Strength (Chesed v. Gevurah) 01:40  |  Robert Light 07/01/07
  158.   Marilyn and Her American Bogeymen #5 01:53  |  Tim 07/01/07
  159.   To BoB U missed a Point 02:09  |  Samir Salameh 07/01/07
  160.   Very wrong about one point tosefta 02:33  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  161.   My dog Dumbite (Dana #149) 02:35  |  Tosefta 07/01/07
  162.   Bob - heartbreaking 02:39  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  163.   Isratinian - what? 02:43  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  164.   One people Bob? 02:46  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  165.   Bush had nothing to do with it margaret 02:50  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  166.   Dale 75# and Victor 78# 02:55  |  james 07/01/07
  167.   Bob - I Guess you never heard of DNA 02:56  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  168.   89# 03:02  |  james 07/01/07
  169.   95# 03:05  |  james 07/01/07
  170.   history and hussein`s hanging 03:10  |  kathy 07/01/07
  171.   Question for all 03:11  |  James 07/01/07
  172.   #153 Bob making history on the fly 04:08  |  abdelkarimqassem 07/01/07
  173.   My dog Dumbite (Dana #149) 04:43  |  Tosefta 07/01/07
  174.   Tim - correct 05:08  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  175.   In the realm of dictators and monsters 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  176.   Hi Kathy from Syracuse 05:21  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  177.   Said Ptolemy the Third 05:27  |  Mark Lincoln 07/01/07
  178.   Thanks Tosefta - Dumbite came out just too sweet 06:06  |  dana 07/01/07
  179.   #169 I rely on research, you rely on ideology part I 06:10  |  Bob 07/01/07
  180.   #169 Provide your sources, not your opinions-part II 06:32  |  Bob 07/01/07
  181.   #167 "corruption of history" seems to be your job, Mark 07:03  |  Bob 07/01/07
  182.   #159 culture of death vs culture of life 07:07  |  Bob 07/01/07
  183.   Tosefta postings very Arabic 08:26  |  FOX 07/01/07
  184.   worse than evil 08:55  |  arab 07/01/07
  185.   #83 YOU HAVE NO MORALS IN THE FIRST PLACE 09:08  |  arab 07/01/07
  186.   FOX - why so angry? 09:35  |  dana 07/01/07
  187.   Re: Said Ptolemy the Third 10:13  |  James 07/01/07
  188.   us hangs saddam 10:24  |  Tony 07/01/07
  189.   To BOB There is Always and end 10:28  |  Samir Salameh 07/01/07
  190.   FOX 10:49  |  sh 07/01/07
  191.   What nonsense: "It is possible that Europe also has a better... 10:53  |  Ohev Tsion 07/01/07
  192.   # 166 Missed the Point 23:37  |  Dale 07/01/07
  193.   #192 23:42  |  James 08/01/07
  194.   correction 00:41  |  anon 24/01/08
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