In certain quarters, the worldwide whine has begun over the death penalty verdict for Saddam Hussein. It's a pity these hand-wringers weren't so overwrought over the thousands of death sentences Saddam regularly imposed on innocent people, his own subjects, during his reign. Then, they were content to shake their heads and look away. Zapatero (on behalf of, I guess, both Spain and the EU) and the Irish Foreign Ministry have used to occasion to sound off on their objections to capital punishment. The UN calls for a fair appeal process, while at the same time urging a moratorium on the execution of the sentence regardless of the result of that appeal. Other European responses so far seem more measured.
And then there's this, from Amnesty International:
Iraq: Amnesty International deplores death sentences in Saddam Hussein trial
Tediously predictable. Human Rights Watch reportedly issued a similar statement.
Let's get it over with and put this puppy to bed.
