When up may be down and you no longer even know

[FormerOstrich]

I remember for many years during the Iraq/Iran war that Saddam Hussein was the favored one. I don’t recall him ever being portrayed in glowing terms but certainly not a villain.

I paid little attention to the world around during the first gulf war, sanctions, and the no-fly zone. I do remember the ghastly tales of Kuwaiti babies thrown from their cribs. Without actually thinking and paying attention I began to associate Hussein as a cruel, brutal, dictator.

Of course, that was what seems a lifetime ago. I have since learned that many “beliefs” that I held were not based on anything tangible. My opinions had been shaped for me, almost as by osmosis.

Seems I have always been from one extreme to the other. I no longer cling to beliefs which were really not my own. I no longer assume the mainstream fare is anything but superficial bias.

As I have read many of the Saddam posts from my fellow DU family, I see so many speak of the evils of Hussein. I can no longer have blind faith that they are correct. Was he so evil? Was he more or less evil than other modern day dictators?

Since the lead up to the Iraq invasion I have pondered much on these questions. For example, the common memes:

Hussein gassed his own countrymen – I am under the impression that it may be questionable if this was done by Saddam or Iran. I can no longer assume this actually happened.

Thousands of Iraqis suffered under his rule – Yes, I do believe this is true. However, I am not so quick to lay blame on Saddam. I am not even sure how they suffered? How much of the suffering was a result or derivative of the crushing sanctions? I have read where he had established aid distributions and other programs which were effective.

I have read much of how women were able to live westernized lifestyles as compared to other Middle East countries. Actually, it seems as if Iraq women led much better lives than Afghanistan, Saudi, or Pakistan women.

He lived a life of luxury while the Iraqi people were poor – What head of state does not do this? Anywhere? How utilitarian should he have been? Do Iraqi’s reside in the fabulous mansions now? Would the Green Zone seem to be a life of luxury to the ordinary Iraqi citizen?

The oppressed Iraqi people wanted Saddam to be overthrown. While there is no doubt that there were some Iraqi’s intent on seeing Saddam overthrown, such as Chablis, I question if this is really true. The Iraqi people were well armed. They could travel. They were not completely isolated. If the rule was so terrible, so evil, would they not have worked towards a solution without our intervention?
Was all Saddam actions borne of evil or perhaps necessity. Is the sectarian bloodshed occurring now indicative of an alternative to an iron fisted rule? Does that end justify those means? I cannot say.

Many say life then was better than now in Iraq. I tend to believe that is true. It is hard to imagine a life more difficult than what the Iraqi people are enduring now. Should that vindicate Saddam’s methods?

We have now learned that Saddam tried to surrender to save the Iraqi’s from the onslaught of the US invasion.

Even if I believe the worse of the worse of Saddam Hussein, I don’t believe he should be executed. As Saddam’s time is counting down I am left to wonder if there is the possibility that Saddam did love his country and made honest efforts on behalf of the Iraqi’s…..at least to some degree.

Either way I have a sense of foreboding. I fear Saddam’s death will usher in a new era of terrorism against the US. I fear Americans will rue the day that Saddam’s life was taken.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

1. The US and Bush will be rightfully blamed for the collapse of civil order that was keep by Saddam w/

a ruthless iron fist. After taking a bad but livable situation and turning it into the chaos that is now Iraq, many will blame this country for removing and killing Saddam and this will add to whirlwind that we have yet to fully reap.

[KG]

2. america needs enemies!

and if it doesnt have any real enemies, it will create some!