December 29, 2006
Executing Saddam Hussein
It is now exceedingly likely that Saddam Hussein will be executed in the next few days. After comparing Hussein to Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, Sandy Levinson questions whether this is really something to cheer about:
[W]hy should anyone cheer the imminent execution of Saddam Hussein, however much one may believe that if capital punishment is ever justified, then he surely qualifies? Can any sane person believe that his execution will in any manner whatsoever serve to bring any further stability to Iraq?
I think the real question here is whether the execution of deposed murdering dictators ought to be seen as a question of politics and deterrence (so that one should execute only if doing so would serve some short- or long- term instrumental goals) or whether it is a simple question of justice and retribution (so that brutal murderers should, where possible, die). Comments (5)
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