“I ask you being an Iraqi person that if you reach a verdict of death, execution, remember that I am a military man and should be killed by firing squad.” - Saddam Hussein, July 26, 2006.
Is a man like this entitled to a choice? Either by Iraq’s refusal to recognize him as a military man, to spite him, or merely out of traditional Islamic law, he was hanged today, instead.
On April 5th, 2006, during cross-examination he was accused of sentencing children to death, to which he responded “I sentence an underage Iraqi to death? I wouldn’t do it even if you were to carve my eyes out.” (source: bbc)
Chief prosecutor Jaafar al-Moussawi presented the court with some of the identification cards of the children and read out their dates of birth. But Saddam said ID cards could easily be forged. He told the court: “There is a clear ulterior motive by those who have given you these documents,” the Associated Press news agency reported. “You can buy IDs like this in the market. Is it the responsibility of the head of the state to check the IDs of defendants and see how old he is?” (source: bbc)

More Saddam quotes can be found here.

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That’s the problem with being the judge, jury & executioner — you get blamed when there’s a breakdown in due process. Saddam isn’t the first to fall prey to this. Power Corrupts, Absolute power corrupts absolutely..I don’t think Saddam truly cared to find out if those he ordered killed were children. For this reason, he was tried, sentenced and hanged.

The problems in Iraq don’t end with the death of Saddam. In fact, the problems will likely get worse before the situation there gets better. The United States has committed a large number of troops there, and to what end? What is the goal–Democracy?There’s an old star trek quote, used once or twice during the Deep space 9 years. It roughly stated that the only way to fix a problem with a Klingon, was to get another klingon to help you. This probably holds true in Iraq. I think the U.S. will need the help of Saudi Arabia to get any real progress in Iraq. I just hope someone over there is willing to help, or even take over–We’re not doing much of any good I fear.The rub is, how will this make America Look? Pretty bad, I presume. Many eastern countries already view us as bullies. Some Arab leaders view us as Zionists, and power-hungry. Time will tell, but I pray for peace.p.s. - No, I can’t speak klingon–beat it, kid.