Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein was hanged at around 6.00 a.m. (8.30 a.m. IST) on 30/12/2006. He was sentenced to death for killing of 148 people in Dujail in 1982 by lower court on 5/11/2006, two days before American elections. He filed an appeal. His appeal was rejected on 26/12/2006 and he was to be hanged by 25/1/2007. He was hanged within four days, on Id-ul-Adha.

Iraq, under US occupation, did what George Bush wanted. The trial was not fair. It was not telecast live. It was not open. Three defence lawyers were killed. Presiding judge was changed.

When Iran-Iraq was going on Arab countries and USA sided with Iraq. When Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait in 1990 many Arab countries joined USA lead coalition. The decline of USSR as superpower and development of night vision technology caused additional difficulties for Iraq. Iraq was bombarded. Civilian facilities were destroyed.

USA has supported many dictators and toppled democratically elected governments. It tried to topple Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela. It supports Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan.

USA invaded Iraq in 2003. UN and NATO did not approve it. Pope John Paul II, Archbishop of Canterbury and Catholic Bishops of USA opposed it. Many countries were opposed to it. In USA many people opposed the war. The people Saddam Hussein trusted most betrayed him in April 2003 and Baghdad fell.

The Americans were disinformed about reasons for 2003 Iraq war and many got brainwashed. Saddam Hussein was accused of having weapons of mass destruction. He was accused of 11/9/2001 attacks on USA though he was not a friend of Osama Bin Laden. USA had propped up Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan against USSR. There were no weapons of mass destruction. Colin Powell who made a presentation to UN justifying war later said the details were wrong.

Under Saddam Hussein Iraq was a secular state. After his downfall Muslim fundamentalists became powerful. Life became difficult for Christians and moderate Muslims.

Crimes committed by Saddam Hussein are no match for the crimes committed by Americans in Iraq in 1991 and 2003 onwards. Who will punish them? The Presidents, Generals, pilots, marines and others involved are guilty of many crimes.

The war in Iraq was for getting contracts to American companies like Halliburton. While Iraqis suffered greatly USA is not free from suffering either. The number of US servicemen killed in Iraq is now more than 3000. How many more American soldiers have to die before USA withdraws from Iraq?

After the downfall of Saddam Hussein the situation turned worse in Iraq. Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003. He was humiliated in many ways. Pictures of doctors examining him and while in prison in underwear made it to TV and newspapers. He was charged with many crimes and found guilty in Dujail case.

Civil war is going on in Iraq. Soon it will be split into three or more parts. The Americans wants to divide Iraq and rule it.

What some people call victorâ€™s justice is victorâ€™s vengeance or invaderâ€™s injustice. After World War II the Germans and the Japanese were punished. No one from USA, UK, USSR, France and other countries on their side was punished. The crimes committed by Allies were more than that of Axis powers but they were not publicised.

The crimes committed by Americans at Abu Ghraib and other places show the face of the aggressor. A few soldiers were punished. People at the top who knew it and allowed were not punished.

Saddam Hussein was not a saint. His brother-in-law and sons-in-law died in strange circumstances. He was not faithful to his wife. Like other dictators he was ruthless.

The testimony of some witnesses was doubtful. About one witness Saddam Hussein said he could not have been born at that time.

Once Saddam Hussein was overthrown he was not a force to reckon with. After his capture he could not carry on the fight. His sons and a grandson died in a gun battle. He wanted to be shot as he thought himself to be a military man. That wish was not granted.

The year 2006 was witness to many events. Some of them were unprecedented. I mention some events.

Publishing of cartoons about Mohammed in a Danish newspaper caused riots in many countries. Newspapers in some countries reprinted the cartoons. No newspaper in India reprinted them. TV channels did not show them in full. Danish flags were burnt.

Sania Mirzaâ€™s rank slipped to 70. In 2005 it had gone up to 31.

Pope Benedict XVIâ€™s quotation of a Byzantine Emperor in his Regensburg speech caused protests. The pope apologized for the hurt it caused. His tour to Turkey was in jeopardy. It took place. The pope prayed at Blue Mosque.

There was train blasts in Bombay on 11/7/2006.

Pluto was declared a dwarf planet on 24/8/2006. Later its name was changed.

Montenegro separated from Serbia. Serbia became a landlocked country.

India lost the Test Series against Pakistan and won ODI series. The series against England ended in a draw as India were all out for 100 in the second innings of the last Test. India after winning the first ODI against West Indies lost the next four. It won the Test Series 1-0. This victory on West Indies soil was achieved after 35 years. India lost the subsequent ODI series. In Champions Trophy it did not reach the semi finals. India won the first Test against S. Africa in S. Africa for the first time. Irfan Pathan was sent back for poor form during the series, a first in Indian cricket. His batting was the best in the team. He was used as a batsman several times. He had opened the innings. Suddenly team management wanted him to take wickets and that only was considered. Form of Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer was worse than him. They were not sent back after losing the second Test.

The judgment in Bombay Bomb Blasts Case 1993 was delivered in instalments. It began on 10/9/2006 and ended on 4/12/2006. Many of the convicts are out on bail. Quantum of the punishment is to be decided.

The trial court judgment in Jessica Lall case acquitting the guilty shocked the nation. There was demand for reinvestigation and retrial. This also brought into focus Priyadarshini Mattoo case where the judge had acquitted Santosh Singh of rape and murder even though he knew he had committed the cirme. Delhi High Court awarded death sentence to Santosh Singh and life sentence to Manu Sharma.

Nepal ceased to be a Hindu Kingdom. King became a figurehead.

The pope gave up the title `Patriarch of the Westâ€™.

Military took over in Fiji.
Share Warne became the first player to take 700 Test wickets.

Alexander Litvienko died of polonium poisoning.

Saddam Hussein was hanged on 30/12/2006.