Saddam’s Former Minister Sentenced To Death

Oct 26, 2010 by James

The man whom for years was the face of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship was sentenced to death by hanging today in an Iraqi court. Tariq Aziz, who surrendered to American soldiers in 2003, was convicted by the Iraqi Supreme Court for his connection to the persecution of religious parties. Aziz, who is now 74, once served as Saddam’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister and was also quite close to the ruthless dictator. His death sentence may be carried out by natural causes because he is believed to be quite ill after suffering a severe stroke while in prison.

“The supreme criminal court issued an execution order against Tariq Aziz for his role in eliminating religious parties,” Iraqi state television reported. He was not alone however as several other officials were sentenced to death today as well. Former interior minister Sadoun Shakir and former private secretary to Saddam Hussein, Abed Hamoud will likely hang right next to Aziz. Since Iraq is now a “Democratic” country the convicted have the right to appeal and thus delay their inevitable deaths.

This is not the first time Aziz has been sentenced. In 2009 he was sentenced to 15 years for the execution of 42 merchants and was later sentenced to 7 years for his displacement of the Kurds. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Aziz predicted he will die in prison, citing his old age and lengthy prison sentences. Shockingly enough the man who aided Saddam in killing and persecuting all other religious groups within Iraq; is a Christian. I think under Saddam’s logic Aziz should have been buried with the Kurds but that’s just me. Aziz, not wanting to go down quietly, came out in defense of Saddam saying “history will show he served his country” and that U.S. President Barack Obama was leaving Iraq “to the wolves.”

I think this story pokes holes in the logic that Democracy is the best political establishment out there. The fact that it has taken 7 years to execute a more than guilty man should be enough proof of Democracy’s inefficiency. We must remember that this much inefficiency is coming from a fledgling government and not one that has had hundreds of years of bureaucracy to slow things down. I wonder how long it will take to convict a man who only kills 30 people and if they will receive the same slap on the wrist as Aziz did?

The problem the United States faces in Iraq is that the people are proving hard to control and it’s even harder when we have teat situations like a new born baby. Saddam ruled with an iron fist and the people were kept in line rather quite efficiently. I’m not excusing his behavior by any means but no one can deny that he was able to handle the masses better than the “occupiers.” The Iraqis have gone from loving us to hating our presence and it is because we haven’t been able to provide security and stability; things we promised. So I’m sure Aziz is right; we’re leaving Iraq to the wolves and we can only hope someone with sense takes over.

Sources: BBC BBC WorldUSA Today