Why would Saddam decline a hood over his face yet prefer a coat?

[Catherine Vincent]

:shrug:

[Totallybushed]

1. I don't know.

Do you think it matters in any way? How could it be significant?

[On Par]

3. I Suppose He Wanted To See The Lights Go Out In Comfort

[HereSince1628]

2. It was cold, but he wanted people to see his face?

I'm not sure there is any message in the coat.

Refusing a blindfold or hood is an old semiotic for bravery, even if the bravery is faux

[Missy M]

7. I don't know how bravery in that situation could be false.....

I think it's a matter of having no choice.

[HereSince1628]

15. I think it might just as much been to preserve the image he

created of himself.

And yes, years of living his larger than life view of himself may not have left him much choice but to play the role to the end. But I think being able to put a purposeful motivation to carrying off a brave face, preservation of his image as the defiant martyr may have been enough to allow him to do just that.

To be brave I think you must recognize the danger and overcome fear of it. If you enter a mental state that denies the danger or camoflages fear of it I'm not sure that's bravery. But then I admit that might be a distinction with no ability for us to determine since it isn't possible to know what was going on in Saddam's head at the time.

[Kansas Wyatt]

4. Body fluids

[TahitiNut]

6. Yep. Not just 'fluids' either.

:shrug:

[JVS]

14. Isn't there also the issue of hanged people getting "wood" or is that...

just a legend?

[NYC Liberal]

19. Death Erection:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_erection

If an individual dies vertically such as in a hanging, the blood will settle in the legs and pool at the feet. The pressure will be greatest as the weight of the blood pushes down. This causes the blood vessels and tissues in the feet to engorge to their greatest elastic capacity and hold the greatest volume of blood possible. This effect occurs right up the legs although to a lesser extent than the feet and is also notable at the waist.

The blood which remains in the torso attempts to move to a lower position due to gravity, and as the blood in the waist (which cannot move down due to the legs being full) causes the penis, consisting of erectile tissue, to fill with blood and expand. This is the death erection. As long as the body remains in this position the effect will continue.

[TahitiNut]

22. Yep. (As NYC Liberal posted) And the bowels will empty out as well.

:shrug: All these reactions, however, are masked from the 'audience'. It's one of the reasons they put hoods on 'em, too. After all, we don't want the 'audience' to be offended by grimaces, urine, fecal matter, or an erection - they're supposed to think killing someone is easy and 'clean.'

:puke:

[Crabby Appleton]

5. It's 1 degree C in Baghdad right now

everyone is wearing a coat, so what.

[Octafish]

8. Braver than Bush.

I don't like either guy, but Hussein faced death with his eyes open.

The little turd from Crawford won't even face a woman who lost her son to his immoral and illegal war.

[valerief]

13. The Little Turd from Crawford sounds like a great title for a musical.

The plot could focus around how he avoided Cindy Sheehan. It could end with Pickles going for a drive, and, well, you can imagine the rest.

[mnhtnbb]

24. Except who would go see it?

[valerief]

25. 90% of America, maybe? If he won't get his come-uppance in politics, then

it can be done on the stage. It would be a morale booster for everyone who hates Diebold and ESS and the evil they wrought.

[ntesla]

9. Maybe public confirmation of his identity

For some odd reason the body will not be returned to his family. There are already conspiracy theories about a possible Saddam double and avoidance of DNA tests.

[Uncle Joe]

10. I believe it's because he knew his execution would be videotaped

and for maximum effect in reflecting the barbarity of it to his supporters and also as a sign of his courage. The way I understand it, when a person is hung, the pressure forces their eyeballs to pop out. Saddam wants to be remembered as a martyr by his people and Bushco helped him.

[Ian David]

11. You think the coat was concealing a hanging harness like Hollywood stuntmen use?

:tinfoil:

[scarletwoman]

12. The coat would probably be for some small measure of modesty and dignity.

When a person is hanged, their bowels and bladder evacuate, and men apparently get erections as well (or so I have read).

[ProgressiveMuslim]

16. The perception in the Arab world

is that Hussein faced his death with dignity.

[Clark2008]

17. Welcome to DU, ProgressiveMuslim.

:hi:

[Vidar]

23. And I would agree with them.

[stonecoldsober]

18. Man, we're really stretching it with some of these questions today

(I know... if you don't have anything constructive to add...)

[gulliver]

20. Maybe he wanted his face shown ...

... so that there would be pictures to show he faced death with dignity. I haven't seen any that suggest otherwise. There were reports that he was a "broken man," etc. Maybe Saddam wanted to make it hard to sell that story. If he had a hood on there would be no way for people to judge for themselves.

[MGD]

21. I agree. I think he wished to face the gallows with dignity. It will be hard to say that he didn't.

[Generic Brad]

26. It's better to look good than to feel good, darlings. n/t