Saint Hussein

[Proteas]

December 30th of this year will mark the 2 year anniversary of Saddam Hussein's execution at the hands of the Iraqi people. While this is still quite a few months away, something about his death has been floating through my mind here lately...

Back when he was about to be executed, there was a common argument on these boards that Saddam should not have been executed, as it would have made him a martyr for his cause. What cause that was was never made clear, but I doubted then and still do today that being a homicidal dictator is hardly a cause one should martyr themselves for, much less that it would inspire others to follow in his footsteps.... but I digress.

The question that's been floating around in my mind for the past few days is simply this; did Saddam's execution truly make him a martyr, and what kind of impact do you think it has had on Iraq since then?

[Jizzlebang]

I've had quite a few convos with Iraqi refugees about the US invasion of Iraq, and as far as i've understood, is that the consensus is that the first 6 months after saddam was killed things were good, but things went downhill since then.

Suprisingly enough, some even want the U.S to stay.

Anyways..

Saddam Hussein remains a tyrant, and will probably always be.

[SuperDeagle]

I don't know. I guess it's one of those 2 sided things where to him yeah he would be a martyr, but to us he wouldn't be just from the point of views. As for what impact it made, I suppose it temporarily eased the minds of the ones he was malevolent towards.

[MortifiedPenguins]

He won't be a martyr but more of a symbol, much as Slobidon Milosevich was.

That when coupled with an uneducated population with deep seated anger towards some minority, be it religous or ethnic, it's easy to rise to power, if one is charismatic and iron willed enough, and to completely dominate his people as long as he continues these campaigns in favor of his peoples prejiduces.

[PineappleWinnie]

Problem is, the day the USA leaves Iraq, there is probably going to be a coup, and some super radical man following Sharia will become the Iraqi President, and it is going to be even worse than Saddam, because women will be forced to wear veils and so on... More like the lines of Khomeini.