Posted on 01/04/2007 8:59:09 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
In what could very well turn out to be a case of shooting the messenger -- or something close to it -- a security guard who used his cell phone to produce the video of the execution of Saddam Hussein that was broadcast throughout the world has been arrested by Iraqi authorities.
The Washington Post, which reported the arrest, identified its source as Sadiq al-Rikabi, the political adviser to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who told the newspaper that the release of the footage was "not something proper or acceptable. ... We needed just a small piece [of footage] about the execution, just to show the people this is Saddam."
On Tuesday, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw, appearing on the Don Imus program, observed that until the execution, Saddam had "disappeared, in effect, as some kind of a symbol over there." But the video, Brokaw said, changed all that. "He's able to stand up there with the hood off and invoke prayer and even invoke the Palestinians, and go out in the eyes of his people at least as a martyr." Brokaw agreed with Imus's comment that it is "difficult to imagine how this could have turned out worse."
Meanwhile, CBS on Tuesday defended its decision not to show the actual execution either on the air or on its website. "Consumers are starting to realize that what television standards may deny them, the Internet readily provides," the CBS News blog Public Eye acknowledged Tuesday. Asked about the availability of the execution video at other websites, CNSNews.com Senior Producer Dan Collins replied, "Anyone with a mouse can get to pornography, too, but we're not going to show that, either."
The guy did the world a favor. Otherwise we would have had the "Saddam is still alive" nonsense from the usual cranks.
They allowed some witnesses at the execution. Some of these had bodyguards. From what Brit Hume reported the official witnesses were searched, but not the guards. Two of them had cell phone cameras and took the pictures. This may or may not hold as more comes out.
When reporters start reporting what others of their profession say, well, then the whole profession of journalism heads straight for the dumpster.
This is ridiculous.
I don't know about anyone else but the video I saw did not show Saadam saying anything. I believe that is why some are so upset about the video being taken. They wanted to say all this stuff that they made up in order to incite the masses and the video doesn't show it that way.
He is retired so he can say what he wants and what he thinks the public should want. Iman is just an old goofball who is occasionally amusing.
After a generation of murder, mayhem, and crimes against humanity Saddam was excecuted in a process that lasted a few minutes and few seconds of which he was insulted. The noose was placed carefully around his neck and the drop broke his neck killing him instantly. There was little physical suffering and from the physical standpoint this execution went perfectly.
A little aside here, at the Nuremberg Trials executions none of the condemned fared as well as Saddam.
THE TRIAL OF THE CENTURY--AND OF ALL TIME, PART TWO
"..The executions, in a brightly lighted prison gymnasium where three looming black wooden gallows had been erected, were witnessed by a handful of Allied military officers and eight journalists, one of whom, Kingsbury Smith of International News Service, wrote a famous newspaper article, "The Execution of Nazi War Criminals, 16 October 1946," based on his eyewitness observations. Although Smith discreetly omitted mentioning it, the experienced Army hangman, Master Sgt. John C. Woods, botched the executions. A number of the hanged Nazis died, not quickly from a broken neck as intended, but agonizingly from slow strangulation. Ribbentrop and Sauckel each took 14 minutes to choke to death, while Keitel, whose death was the most painful, struggled for 24 minutes at the end of the rope before expiring..."
I was disgusted not by the hanging but by the hangmen who were chanting "Muqtada" as they hung Saddam.
The only good thing is that during the execution Muqtada Sadr's men were not killing Americans, but I am sure they are back at work today.
He could have survived. That would have been worse. He could have escaped. Even worse. Need I go on?
They arrested Brokaw & Imus? Damn fine detective work! I've got a coupon for 3 dozen Krispy Kremes for the officer that bagged 'em!
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