The Execution of Saddam Hussein

The time has come and Saddam Hussein has been executed, and a video of his last moments has been plastered all over the news and the internet.

I have been following this since the day Saddam’s appeal failed and he was ordered to be executed. Here are my observations.

Saddam Hussein was a monster who deserved to die, no doubt about that. But There were some highly revealing things that came out in his last days. The first observation I made was that as his death loomed nearer he seemed to remember what it was that first drove him into the political arena. He remembered the love he once had for his country and the dreams he had of making Iraq a great nation before this dream was lost in a lust for power and lasting personal fame and glory. Basically, it seems that Saddam fell prey to the corruption of power, admittedly, very quickly, and he lost his former vision in the tumult of holding powerful positions. This is a common trap that many politicians and other leaders fall into. The big difference between Saddam and many other leaders of nations is that he had complete control over everything. He was despotic dictator, while most of the politicians and leaders in the world have strong restrictions on their power through the structure of the government or military. Absolute power may or may not corrupt more than great power that falls short of absolute, but it does allow much greater freedom to exercise that corruption without anything to stop the individual.

The second observation is that Saddam Hussein was able to face death with dignity. I automatically gain some respect for anyone who, once convicted and sentenced for his crimes is able to accept death and take his punishment like a man rather than whining and crying all the way to the gallows, electric chair, injection table, gas chamber, or whatever other means of execution in being performed. Indeed, the only one in the video of the execution who seemed to have any composure was Saddam. However, while I personally consider unprofessional, unnecessary, and simply immature to taunt and insult a condemned man as he is about to be executed, I must admit that I am not surprised that this happened. Historically, whenever a murderer or other egregious criminal has been executed the audience and even the executioner have taunted and insulted the condemned during the execution. While we have moved away from this for the most part here in the U.S. it must be noted that this happened here for centuries as well. In the end, while I understand that people are upset that Saddam was not given a dignified execution I find myself unmoved by the conduct of his executioners.

Finally, I noted my own reactions and emotions the whole situation. I am satisfied that justice ha been meted out in a properly swift manner and that Saddam Hussein finally got the punishment he so greatly deserved. I also find that I have no happiness that this happened, and that my one wish in this whole situation is that someone had been allowed to speak to Saddam about the Forgiveness that was available to him in Jesus Christ so that he did not have to burn in Hell for his crimes if would but repent and submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in his heart. If this did happen he certainly did not accept this ministry because he carried a copy of the Koran, a book he didn’t exactly obey, to his execution. By my estimation, under Islam he was definitely less than 51% good and was doomed to hell by his own religion and the only chance he had was to come to Christ. Some of you may wonder why I would want to give such a horrible man the chance to be saved after all he has done. I answer thusly: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that none may perish, but have everlasting life.” This includes such monsters as Saddam Hussein, Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and even Mao. I want to everyone given the chance to be redeemed by Jesus, no matter how horrific their crimes may be because the punishment for sin is the same for everyone. The punishment is eternity in Hell, and the only way to escape is through forgiveness in Jesus Christ. It may be weird that I think murderers, rapists, and child molesters should die while being given every chance to come to Jesus before their execution, but the one is the necessary just punishment for an action while the other is the necessary duty to try to save every soul from eternal punishment. Does mean I am conflicted in any way about the execution of Saddam Hussein? Not at all. He murdered hundreds of thousands of people and death was the only proper punishment for such a crime.

Good riddance Saddam Hussein. It’s a shame you lost yourself in power, and it’s an even bigger shame that you must now pay for your crimes for all eternity when you had a way out. At least you faced death with courage and dignity, and that, at least, is worth something.