Individual Liberty — Individual Responsibility

For those we lost, We will not forget 09/11/2001

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
— The Continental Congress, July 4, 1776

“The task of statesmanship has always been the re-definition of these rights in terms of a changing and growing social order.”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt (Commonwealth Club Address, 1932)

“Roosevelt was wrong! The principles laid down in the Declaration of Independence are the principles of individual liberty. Our unalienable rights, given to us by God are given to us as individuals. Our rights do not come from society or the government, and they cannot be redefined by politicians. The nature of these rights carries with it the implication of individual responsibility, without which we surrender them.”
— Perri Nelson, November 6, 2008

<< What Famous Leader Are You? | Main | Wednesday Hero - 12/27/2006 >>

Iraqi Justice is Swift!

Published Tue, Dec 26 2006 11:27 AM
Technorati Tags: News and Politics, War on Terror, Courts

Earlier this month, it looked as though Beast Saddam (apologies to Frank Herbert) might actually manage to escape the fate he deserved. Today before I've even read the news Layla at The HILL Chronicles tracked to my open trackbacks post with news that Saddam will be executed within 30 days:

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's highest appeals court on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence and said he must be hanged within 30 days for the killing of 148 Shiites in the central city of Dujail.

The sentence "must be implemented within 30 days," chief judge Aref Shahin said. "From tomorrow, any day could be the day of implementation."

On Nov. 5, an Iraqi court sentenced Saddam to the gallows for ordering the 1982 killings following an attempt on his life.

...

The appeals court concluded the sentence of life imprisonment given to former vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan was too lenient and returned his file to the High Tribunal. Ramadan was convicted of premeditated murder in the Dujail case.

"We demand that he be sentenced to death," said Shahin, the appeals judge.

So despite his theatrics and the delaying tactics of useful idiots like Ramsey Clark, Saddam will be executed after all. He won't be able to postpone his fate until he's too old to be executed under Iraqi law.

This is a good day for Iraqi justice and a wonderful example for our own courts. The Iraqi appeals court acted swiftly in a capital case instead of dragging it out interminably as happens in the appeals process here at home. Had they delayed justice would have been denied to the people of Dujail.

For his crimes against humanity, death is too good for Saddam Hussein. It's best that his punishment be swift so that there's no chance that this monster could escape justice entirely.

Hopefully this decision will quickly be ratified by Iraq's president and two vice presidents. That's the last couple of inches of rope needed to finally hang the monster.

Previously:

Trackposted to Perri Nelson's Website, The HILL Chronicles, third world county, Wake Up America, Don Surber, Adam's Blog, Pirate's Cove, The Bullwinkle Blog, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.