From truthout
On December 13, 2003, American troops pulled Saddam Hussein out of the narrow lair in which he was hiding. In an article written in the heat of the moment for Salon.com, I presumed that many important people around the world, rather than rejoicing to finally see the former Iraqi tyrant captured alive, would have preferred to see him dead. That would have supplied a clear and clean end to the story. There would have been no need for a trial.In fact, the trial of the former dictator had all the ingredients to become a deplorable global media circus, in which the world's most eminent leaders, past and present, would find themselves in the position of co-defendants for complicity in certain crimes against humanity committed under Saddam's brutal reign. Such a thing would have been easily defensible for Saddam Hussein's lawyers.
Among those leaders figure, notably, American presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George Bush father and son, Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Jacques Chirac, King Hussein, and Prince Fahd - without even counting the bureaucrats who directed the foreign affairs, defense, and intelligence services of their respective countries.
One could add to these leaders an endless list of American and foreign businessmen, as well as bankers, oil magnates, and arms merchants from the world over who amply profited from business conducted with Saddam's regime, some by closing their eyes on what was cooking, others perfectly well aware of it.
If - sinners by commission and omission - they had not supplied him with weapons, finance, intelligence, and diplomatic support, Saddam would never have been able to commit so many horrors.
