February 10, 2005 Columns » IQ

By lavishing Saddam Hussein with money and weapons of mass destruction throughout the 1980s, the United States turned Iraq into the world's fourth-largest, well-armed fighting force. At the same time, we supported death squad regimes throughout Central and South America.

Adjustable moral yardstick 

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By lavishing Saddam Hussein with money and weapons of mass destruction throughout the 1980s, the United States turned Iraq into the world's fourth-largest, well-armed fighting force. At the same time, we supported death squad regimes throughout Central and South America. Why arm Saddam to the teeth when he was equally bloody and tyrannical, but now justify a war and occupation to depose him? Is our moral yardstick adjustable?

click to enlarge Jack Amshutz - - Kissing Camels - - Self-employed, home improvement company - - - - Does Saddam deserve legal representation? - No, because of his crimes against his own - people. - - Should he be given an American attorney? It - should be one of his own folks in international court. - - What should his punishment be, and who should - administer it? The Iraqi people should administer - it, - and death would be just fine. Keeping him alive does - no - one good and takes away from American taxpayers. - - We supplied Saddam with money and weapons of - mass destruction throughout the 1980s. Why evoke - moral standards to remove him now? What has - come down is where we need to be. I'm a strong - believer - in what this great nation is doing to help a country - whose people have been suppressed. The better good - is - going in there to give them a chance to decide their - own - government. And getting a democracy into Iraq will - make us safer here.

  • Jack Amshutz

    Kissing Camels

    Self-employed, home improvement company

    Does Saddam deserve legal representation?
    No, because of his crimes against his own people.

    Should he be given an American attorney? It should be one of his own folks in international court.

    What should his punishment be, and who should administer it? The Iraqi people should administer it, and death would be just fine. Keeping him alive does no one good and takes away from American taxpayers.

    We supplied Saddam with money and weapons of mass destruction throughout the 1980s. Why evoke moral standards to remove him now? What has come down is where we need to be. I'm a strong believer in what this great nation is doing to help a country whose people have been suppressed. The better good is going in there to give them a chance to decide their own government. And getting a democracy into Iraq will make us safer here.

click to enlarge Martha Ezell - - Petaluma, CA - - Media specialist, Sonoma State University - - - Should we supply Sadaam legal counsel? - That - process has been followed with even the most - heinous - criminals. But he should be represented by someone - of - his own choice from his own culture. - - Should we be imprisoning suspected terrorists - without charge or access to legal counsel? That's - wrong, a bad precedent, and not very American. - - Are we hypocritical to supply Saddam weapons of - mass destruction throughout the '80s, but now depose - him as a dangerous and brutal tyrant? He was - always a bad guy. We bear a lot of responsibility for - his - ever being in power. - - Will deposing Saddam bring democracy to the - Middle East? We can't know that, and we - shouldn't - have gone in there without full international - participation.

  • Martha Ezell

    Petaluma, CA

    Media specialist, Sonoma State University

    Should we supply Sadaam legal counsel? That process has been followed with even the most heinous criminals. But he should be represented by someone of his own choice from his own culture.

    Should we be imprisoning suspected terrorists without charge or access to legal counsel? That's wrong, a bad precedent, and not very American.

    Are we hypocritical to supply Saddam weapons of mass destruction throughout the '80s, but now depose him as a dangerous and brutal tyrant? He was always a bad guy. We bear a lot of responsibility for his ever being in power.

    Will deposing Saddam bring democracy to the Middle East? We can't know that, and we shouldn't have gone in there without full international participation.

click to enlarge Ed Tuter - - Patty Jewett - - Artist/construction worker - - - - Does Saddam deserve a court trial? Yes. - He's - being - charged with something. - - Is it OK to imprison suspected terrorists without a - formal charge or legal counsel? That's justifiable if - there's legitimate security reasons, but only if there's a - limit on how long it can continue. - - Should Saddam have an American lawyer? - Yes, - if he's being tried in our court system. If he's going to - be - tried in military courts, that's something else. - - Why was Saddam a good guy in American eyes - throughout the 1980s? Are we holding him to different - moral standards now? When it comes to war, - morality is an afterthought. War is an immoral act to - begin with. Evoking morality to justify war only - confuses - matters. - - Will removing Saddam bring democracy to - adjacent - countries? Democracy is a state of mind, not - something you stick on like a stamp.

  • Ed Tuter

    Patty Jewett

    Artist/construction worker

    Does Saddam deserve a court trial? Yes. He's being charged with something.

    Is it OK to imprison suspected terrorists without a formal charge or legal counsel? That's justifiable if there's legitimate security reasons, but only if there's a limit on how long it can continue.

    Should Saddam have an American lawyer? Yes, if he's being tried in our court system. If he's going to be tried in military courts, that's something else.

    Why was Saddam a good guy in American eyes throughout the 1980s? Are we holding him to different moral standards now? When it comes to war, morality is an afterthought. War is an immoral act to begin with. Evoking morality to justify war only confuses matters.

    Will removing Saddam bring democracy to adjacent countries? Democracy is a state of mind, not something you stick on like a stamp.

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