Saddam is Alive

Or at least I thought he was momentarily.

I was coming home the other day and there was a guy waiting for the train who was a dead ringer for Saddam. The face, the hair, the stache, it was all there.

I hope Weekly World News doesn't pick this one up.

Another Child Dies Copying Saddam Hanging

I think this is one of the reasons why the Vatican is justified in opposing the release of the Saddam execution video.


Saddam's execution cited in boy's accidental hanging death

This is in addition to the earlier story of a child in Pakistan who died in a similar way.

Its not a good thing for people to see. I tend to think that people of good faith can go either way on Saddam's execution. But this video is harmful. Maybe the people of Iraq need to see it, so they know for sure that he is gone, but surely none of the rest of us need to see it, especially not children.

I Survived the Dentist

Well I survived having my teeth pulled yesterday. Unlike when I had my root canal there wasn't really any time to pray while I was being worked on. Best I remember the doctor/dentist/oral surgeon found a vein and said that the room would start to look funny.........then I was waking up.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of swelling, which is good because graduation in Saturday and who wants to be all swelly for graduation.

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I've been waiting for Fr. Jonathan to write about Saddam, and here it is.

Boy hangs himself 'like Saddam'

A sad story out of Pakistan of a young boy who died reinacting Saddam's hanging.

Boy hangs himself 'like Saddam'

A young boy who tried to copy hanging scenes from the execution video of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein died in central Pakistan, said police on Monday.

Celebrating Justice

Celebrating Justice... @ Iraq the Model.

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Enter complaining about the Holy See's opposition to the execution.

Saddam Dead

So ends the Hussein chapter in Iraq's history.

Iraq the Model

Check out Iraq the Model for some in-country news and views on Saddam.

Year 2007 will definitely be without Saddam walking on the ground....

Saddam's Impending Execution

What exactly is the appropriate Catholic & Christian response to the death sentence against Saddam? In the past few days we have seen the articles about his impending execution, and then I saw this morning an article about a Cardinal who is opposed to the execution.

I was thinking about it the other day. I used to be for the death penalty, but then I decided that creating a culture of life, a culture that included all life, was more important than meting out punishment. Although I came to be against the death penalty, I always qualified it that I was against it in this country, and that it may still be approrpiate outside the U.S.

Now I am faced with Saddam's execution, and I'm not sure what to think. Do I particularly care what happens to Saddam? Not really. As far as I'm concerned he's an evil man who is getting the punishment he deserves. Trust me, no tears will be shed here for this man when he... ahem... swings. But in general how do I feel about the execution?

Perhaps killing him will bring some closure to the Iraqi people, and will finally close his chapter in Iraq's history. Perhaps with him gone they can finally begin to move on out of the chaos and horror of the past to something better. But, if I were on the jury could I sign off on executing him? Could I put my name to that? And if I couldn't, can I really support it?

This makes me recall a column Fr. Jonathan did after Zarqawi was killed, and he asked what we should be rejoicing in? The death of another person, or that their evil actions have come to a halt. Perhaps I should look at Saddam similarly. If you want to read his post about Zarqawi, Zarqawi is Dead. Should We Rejoice?.

I think I still have a lot of thinking to do. I'm open to thoughts on this one.