I look into those eys and it leaves me speechless to imagine the world and the lives changed of many Iraqis -and Americans, if Saddam the child had been shown a loving home environment. However, for the Saddam that was put to death, hopefully that is a sign of things to change in Iraq. To show that brutality will not go without retribution, and that we really do need to have a little more love for our neighbors - obviously not only for our children today, but for our futures tomorrow.
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Hmm, I look at the picture of Saddam as a boy and see an angry human being period. Listen there are plenty of people who grow up in difficult situations and then turn out to be fine human beings as adults. Signed, Harry
What Saddam did was wrong, all the people that he did wrong to. He caused his own demize. But looking at his childhood picture I see saddness, the same look before he was put to death. A look that never left him as he was growing up, a look the he took to his grave. Maybe if he had a better life as a child none of this would have happened, but one never knows. No one knows. I hate violence and wish it never was in this world, all the people who are hurt by it, all the children who's live's are ruined . Maybe this is an example to the world to start making this a better place to live.
I can understand that we you are raised in a very abusive environment you will eventually become abusive, but when you become an adult you have the choice of following the same path or become a better human being, unfortunately he chose the path that lead him to his death.
You said "To show that brutality will not go without retribution"; but I bet you cringe at the mention of reparations for American slavery.
I think that his hanging is premeditated murder and to look into his eyes is to remind us all of his soul, just like our own. We are all slow to evolve from the brutal survivalist primates to the loving socially acceptable modern humans that we percieve ourselves to be.
This is the sad truth of the frailty of humanity, and the pitfalls of the choices we make and are made that affect our lives. Look at the images of Hitler as a child (also abused, neglected and such), or Stalin, or Pol Pot..you see a child..innocence that won't last..that hides the future soul that will be called a monster. It is a lesson for us all; for the need to show compassion, but also to hold people accountable for their actions in life.
If it had not been Sadaam it would have been someone else. I believe that the society that would allow someone like him to rule and reign would allow someone just like him to do the same. That is why this whole "deposing" of tyrants is puzzling. The majority of people let it happen. A note re; slavery here...the same thing...the majority of people let it happen. Some things just stink.
Too bad... now the world is a better place... he had no feelings for human life except for his own... good riddence... this is the 21st century...
i see sadness in his eyes when i look at the picture of him when he was a little boy..i am not suprised of how and what he did to those people even though it was wrong..but having an abusive step-dad made him this way..ya he was an adult and had the choice which way to go..but growing up with it..its what happened..maybe if he didnt have an abussive home then this things would of never happened..but we'll never know..and i agree i saw the same sadness in his eyes when he was hung as in this picture..hes carried it with him his whole life...
Saddam seems to have been a sad and conflicted child and adult. Some could say that was his excuse for all the bad things that he's done. But I have to mention the fact that some of our own American leaders come from very priviledged backgrounds and still manage to strongly disappoint the citizens that voted them into office. Unsavory behavior by leaders is everywhere. Lastly, the American Civil War was fought internally. No one came to rescue thousands of slaves in this country. Many laws were written to protect the act of slavery and many politicians upheld those laws and fought to keep them on the books. "Retribution for Brutality"...well, I guess that applies to the rest of the world.
possibly his stepfather was harsh with him because he was cruel. i don't see pain in those eyes, i see someone just mean. many people were treated badly as children, and grew up to be protective of others because of it. as soon as he came into power, he began killing people. i don't think he started there. he was a bad man, he's gone, i'm glad.
No matter how bad a person is, the any act to eliminate that soulfrom this world is hiighly unethical; more especially when the creation of evil in such individual has been partly caused by the same world he lived in.
This man did horrible things and helped to kill many humans. Just because he is gone, is all the killing gone.....NO. I'm not trying to say that he need not pay for what he had done, but "those among you without sin, cast the first stone." Is it going to bring everybody back- I think not. Yes he was a tyrant. It's sad to think that the world seems satisfied when someone is put to death.
I am afraid this is only the beginning. A piece of history that will be a pivotal point in the worlds story. They have a martyr now. Saddam Hussein faced his murder without a hood and yet his executioners hid their identities. He started out pro western until the U. S. let him down. Study the past. They have chaos in Iraq not democracy and our military is tapped out. I wont send my son!
Ok, lets stick with the issue of Saddam and his cruelty....When I think of the mass graves found filled with woman and children, one with 150 bodies, each with a single bullet hole to the head, I can think of nothing else but that this monster, even with his death, could never make up for the memories of sorrow and sadness, tragedy and horror people LIVE with everyday at his hands and those of his henchmen. May God have mercy on his soul, because no matter how he was treated as a child, it is never an excuse for murder and torture. We don't feel sorry for serial killers, Saddam was no different, he just got away with it for much longer.
Yes,Saddam is guilty of crimes against humanity and he recieved his just rewards for it.But,we as Americans have been committing crimes for years against many countries and nationalities.....I guess our just reward is coming?.
And the butcher was put in power with the help of the CIA and the Bush family and their influential group . How convenient that Americans choose to ignore the truth about this and Saddam's connections with the Bush family .
So be it, Saddam was human too. Who are we to judge? Is our president so different? A kill is a kill- there is no jusification. It gives me chills to think my children will learn about this in history books, and how lives lost in around the world have such an affect on gas prices.
Sweet eyes of a child. Would the world conflict be so different if he did not exsist? I don't think so. We have seen a killer destroyed and there are so many more. Will it be better if we hang Bush or the top 10 on our terrorist list? One gone and so many left. Some are in power and some are waiting. Millions of people are for peace and yet the bold and nasty are in power. A handful. We sit back and let the horrible war that consumes most countries go on
WHAT HE DID WAS VERY WRONG, BUT WHO R WE TO DECIDED WHO LIVES N DIE, NO BETTER THAN HIM, PEOPLE ARE ON DEATH ROW FOR 10-20 YEARS AND NEVER EXCUTED, THEY SENTENCED HIM AND A WEEK LATER EXECUTED, WHATS FAIR ABOUT THAT, AND WE HAD NO RIGHT, THEY SHOULD HAVE LET THE IRAQ PEOPLE TRY HIM, NOT THE UNITED STATES, AND SINCES HES BEEN CAPTURED THE KILLINGS HAVE NOT STOPPED, EVERYONE WANTS TO BE IN CHARGE, HE KEPT THE DIFFERENT FACTIONS IN LINE
Although Saddam was guilty and deserved his fate, he still is entitled to a FAIR trial!! You can't establish a new George Bush government in Iraq and try Saddam for crimes before the new government was created?? It's truly amazing how this government and the puppets in Iraq can so quickly execute someone when they want to. Well, I voted for George Bush (twice)!! What a mistake!!
Okay Alh...how convenient that we continue to blame President Bush for everything? If you don't like the United States don't live here but don't blame anyone for the actions of a man that could have chosen differently at any time. I don't care about his awful childhood, I don't care how he got his seat of power, I don't care if people think his dying is fair or not. I do care that he is no longer able to commit the atrocities that he commited. It is convenient to me that you blame Bush for putting him there but give no credit to Bush for removing him?? Sheesh stop blaming and take responsibility. If we all take more responsibility for ourselves and stop waiting for others to "make it better, fix this or fix that" I think we stand a better chance of never seeing animals like this in power again. Saddam was in power for over thirty years and yet you still blame Bush when the Democrats were in power at that time...Think about what you said.
As a person with enough education and intelligence to maintain total power and control, Saddam had the opportunity to take his country to great heights. He had the resources that could have been shared like some of his neighboring countries with the population creating a huge boost to the individual. Instead he chose to dominate, impoverish, and humilate resulting in conflicts and hatred that will not soon go away. He chose the route to his destruction on the backs of his own people and has paid the price for his selfishness and cruelty.
I feel that any taking of human life, especially state sanctioned, cannot be justified, but it's hard to tell people who have actually lived a situation what they should feel. The irony here is that a publicly scrutinized trail and a speedy execution is exactly what was denied to countless people under his regime. Nevertheless, I feel the moment should be used to remember the victims, and others who are dying every day.
I have listened to all the excuses about why saddam acted the way he did. People are relating western values to an eastern culture. We have some things in common. No one in the Kenedy clan will go to jail, and don't forget the football player looking for his wifes killer on the golf courses. However the differance splits there. We do not teach our children about revenge killings and the level of hatred preached and taught in arab countries is beyond the comprehension of most westerners. We do not have citizens strapping vest bombs on themselves. And i am sure that N.O.W. would say differant western women are not treated like cattle. To win in the middle east they have to change their attitudes. I don't see that happening as their religious leaders profess political purposes. Let a minister or priest in this country do the same thing and an uproar would ensue. Saddam kept iraq quiet due to the attitudes of arab people. The mess their would have occurred upon his death till some other dictator took office. The majority of arabs live in poverty with a few rich ones running everything. The trouble is one of an old saying, in the west or in the east. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely.
Saddam was tried by an Iraqi Tribunal. He was found guilty, sentenced, and executed by Iraqis. The reason he was executed so quickly was two-fold. First, the Iraqi people wanted it over and done with before the start of Eid al-Adha, a Muslim religious holiday that began at sunrise December 30th. Second, in that part of the world, there are no bleeding heart liberals who believe in unlimited chances-only people who want 'justice' served. He was found guilty, along with others, of crimes against humanity. He could have been beheaded, stoned to death, or tortured in ways that he tortured his victims. However, the Iraqi people saw fit to hang him, quickly, and try to move on.
I never voted for Bush. I believe to make a good president you absolutely must have two things: Intellegence and Diplomatic Skills. He has neither and that has always been obvious. Sadam is dead, there is a new fledgling government in Iraq, but there can never truly be a democracy there. The culture does not allow for it. A democracy is allowing the people to decide what should be done according to their own values and moral codes. The democracy that will result will be just as bad as the non stop series of Dictatorships found in the past. They are different than us and it is egocentric to believe we know what is best for a culture we have never truly tried to understand.
Does anyone have pictures of George W. in his favorite clown outfit? Do clowns make good leaders? I think if we just look around we can find the answer. Record atrocities in education, health care, poverty, deception, enormous national debt with billions more requested for the war after almost 1 million Iraqis killed. To think a large percent of Americans voted for him only because he wasn't pro-choice. That is the single issue they looked at. I know, because some of them are my relatives. How sad is that? Let the children grow up in poverty, illiterate and hungry, so we can kill more foreigners all in the name of God.
Didn't us Americans put Saddam in power, provide him with weapons, money, etc? Pretty sure we did. Same goes for Osama... We trained and help fund him also. Why do people keep forgetting this? Killing Saddam won't change anything. Do I care if he is dead? No. The only thing that scares me is realizing our people have no memory of past events. These terrorists and wars will keep happening as long as our government keeps training and funding their leaders.
Wars are about power, period. Power is dependent on labor and funding. The 21st century wars will be for power and control of the world's natural resources. The Gulf War was the first one for oil. The most fierce wars will be over clean water. The persons that control the power at any moment in time must have manpower and money to support their efforts. By inciting emotional turmoil in the population of persons they control through things that truly are wrong and hurtful to human beings, they also COMBINE that uprising of emotion with the control mechanisms that have been taught that particular group of people for centuries through culture and religion Thus the momentum they need to stay in power or to attempt to gain control over their percieved opponent is reached. The Boston Tea Party wasn't about tea, the Civil War wasn't about slavery and the problems in the Middle East are not about religious differences. The Higher Power named as you please, teaches that peace and good will can only come from inside a human being and can not be externally controled when the person does not allow it. Violence serves the person only in self defense in the moment. You can't avenge, provide retribution (really helped the Cherokees didn't it) or even apologize after the fact. All you can do is act differently in the present moment to really CHANGE ANYTHING. It is called self control. I mean EVERYBODY. What if Bin Laden used the power and money he had or has to do the very best he could to be the most Peaceful man on earth? What could Bush do? What could you do? You don't think "they" will change?? Do you think I will not, do I think you will not? Although Albert Einstein's statment was in different context the fundamental truth is simply that "Nothing moves until something changes."
This picture of Saddam is a sorry looking one we all go through some hard times when we are kids for instance grew up in Cuba with a mom and a dictators for a role model put I didn't couldn't take it anymore and left that country even though all you are feed as a kid was Fidel. I know that my situation is different but i didn't turn out bad
THE PHOTO OF THE BOY HUSSEIN UNFORTUNATELY DOES NOT REFLECT THE MAN HUSSEIN. WHILE THERE MAY BE GUILT FOR THE BOY, THE MAN MADE THE DECISIONS THAT WROTE HIS EULOGY.
HE DESERVES IT !! NO one should live on this earth after commiting murder
Saddam committed many crimes and he should have been punished severly, but not by execution. A life sentence would have been a more cruel yet more just way of punishing Saddam. He would have wasted away in a cell for the rest of his life,and become forgotten. But now he is still fresh in the memories of the world. He was a symbol of Sunni power in Iraq. And now with a video tape permeating every video site on the internet, the Sunni's are becoming angry that their symbol has been destroyed. The country would have been better off if they had let him rot in a cell instead of becoming a martyr.
You must put yourself in the same situation the ones that were killed by his realm were in. If you had a son, daughter, sister, brother, mother, father and someone tortured, killed, raped, etc would you just say "oh he doesnt deserve what he has". I think not! Any human with compassion would defiantly change their thought. He deserved to be brought from power. Death to him was to prove a point, not to bring closure, although it may have to some. To forgive brings further closure. But for Crimes Against Humanity, terms are different. Execution should allow those that feared his realm to stand up and live a life they deserve to live.
Is it really better to have him suffer in prison for life than to execute him? That sounds like something he would have approved of...torture and suffering until death finally saves him. Not sure I am ready to drop down to his level. Also, does anyone realize the expense involved in a life sentence? Also, by keeping him alive, his followers have reason to keep acting the way he would want. Yes, now he is still fresh in the memories of the world. So was Hitler, but once his memory faded, so did his legacy. The same will hold true here. It may take a couple of years, but eventually people will remember the awful things Saddam did but forget why they supported him. His true followers will fade away and he will be read about in the history books just like Hitler.
Honestly tell me, How many such kids have been created by the US intervention in Iraq for OIL by mr gwb what do you expect them to do now? Will they thank the US Military for ruining their future and leaving them to nothing except violence and rebel for the US, US has invited and nurtured a big trouble by doing this and the best part is that the music will be faced by US even after mr gwb when these children will grow up making more Saddams
You are correct I think the world would have been peaceful if the world leaders learn how to be humble and more human. I wish President Bush and Tony Blair and the other Arab Kings and leaders were raised differently.
yes, and unfortunately then there are those that perhaps are not as strong willed, or mentally resilient as you and I to be able to fully control our psyche after developing in such an environment, the same can be said for both extremes... Correlation does not necessarily mean CAUSATION, and therefore it can not be assumed that his upbringing is the reason, maybe he was inherently eveil, either way, being uneducated or not has nothing to do with the civility of your mannerisms... I've seen perfect examples to the contrary on either end of the spectrum either way it's unfortunate and should make us even more thankful for either our situation growing up, or our ability to overcome what may have not such a thankful situation, whichever...
I cannot believe that everything is being put on George W. Bush. Our President has many leaders putting their input into his decisions. How about blaming some of them. The Military leaders and just looking for a reason to show their skills and power. That is why we have leaders. Saddam grew up just like everyone else in his country and they aren't all bad. Greed and power make a person act different. I personally think it is time to cut our losses and pull out of Iraq and close our borders and protect our own country. It's time that we take care of our own country and protect our own rights. I think you should post anyones picture of when they were young and see what people think about their eyes and expressions. It seems that people can perdict and judge anyone and that may save them from becoming another victim of society.
That picture reminds me that every being is born innocent, and also, that the future will never be known. No matter who the person is, I strongly believe that we must be solemn when the passing of a life occurs.
He looks so sad in that picture. I know that things can carry on. My mother was abused when she was a child and yelled at repeatedly. She yelled nonstop and hit me and my sisters and I catch myself doing it a lot at my 2 oldest children (exept for the hitting I usually lock myself in a room before that happens). Cycles should be broken but it isn't always that easy especially when that is all you know even if you know it is wrong. I BELIEVE SADDAM WAS MURDERED!!!!
I agree with Alaska. Today during my lunch break I was thinking about when God said to those people, he without sin cast the first stone. Saddam shouldn't have been hanged, We are all sinners and should be considered equal despite our wrong doings. He should've paid for what he did but why not a longterm prison sentence? The man I see in that picture is a sad little boy that grew up to be like he was taught. BREAKS MY HEART AND I'M A 23 YR OLD WOMAN. MOST MY AGE DON'T CARE!
I agree with Marie & Joanny. If us mothers would stop letting no good, abusive men in our lives and around our children, alot of saddness and future violent behaviors from our children would be minimal. Kids respect mothers who stand up for themselves and protect their kids. I have two great boys, 8 & 18, who love me, respect me and most importantly respect themselves. All it took was L-O-V-E, R-E-S-P-E-C-T, and a great big H-U-G ! When's the last time you gave a child a hug, compliment, or just played a video game with them? It's not hard and doesn't take much time.
I was also struck by the sadness in his eyes as they prepared to hang him. I see that same look in his eyes as a boy. It brings me to tears knowing that a boy can be so mistreated in childhood that he grows up to commit such horrible acts as an adult.
I look at this angry, stress-out kid and I think "that's him, that's the monster". I look at pictures of him being captured from the spider hole, looking scared and beaten, and I think "that's him, that's the monster". I veiw the execution and see a man humbly accepting his fate. Again, I say "that's him, that's the monster". It is easy to pity for pity's sake; but pity is wasted on the one's who do not want it. In the Arab world it is a great insult to embrace western pity. Jihads do not want our pity, they do not want peace, they do not want to understand our culture or way of life. There is no such term as "live and let live". Mankind needs to be held accountable, and if trying, convicting, and executing is part of maintaining accoutability for crimes against humanity; then no picture of vunerablity should sway that effort.
Certainly Sadaam did some incredibly awful things to maintain his steely grip on the populace of Iraq. Without a doubt, he will go down as one of the world's most despised despots. But, he also ruled the country of Iraq with far less bloodshed and internal strife than is currently taking place under the democratic government. Tens of thousands of people, most of them innocent, are dying each year under the American-supported administration. The factionalism and infighting seems too much for the current Iraqi government to handle. And don't fool yourself. The majority of deaths are not from "foriegn terroists." It's the centuries old conflict of Sunni versus Shia that is claiming lives right now. Another major contributor to the violence is ex-Baathists who are continuing to fight the Battle of Bagdad. Their association with Al-Queda in Iraq is only one of convenience. In all of this, has anyone considered that it's possible that Sadaam's iron-fisted ways are the only way to rule the country as it's currently constituted? Without his despotism and cruelty, is it even possible to maintain order in this country? I'm not condoning it, but have we bitten off something that we are not only incapable of, but unwilling to chew?
He rose from a single parent home to become The Authorian President of Iraq spreading his ideas of Islam and Socialism together. He came from the lowest economic position of society all the way to the top much like Napleon.
Someone wrote they hope God has mercy on his soul - I hope God is Just with him! Everyday I see the results of Sadaam's cruel and evil actions and he does not deserve God's mercy. The only sad thing is that with his death the world has not become a better place, because in his place many more will come and have come and are presently ruling. Everyone blames someone for the likes of Sadaam, but the most guilty are the silent ones who turned the other way for many years and refuse to accept their evil part in all of this. I fear that history will record our generation as the most inhumane because we have allowed such evilness to raise and our policies are still creating more Sadaams around the world. God help us, because we don't know what we are doing!
Although I strongly agree that these types of "monsters" should not be allowed to have any power whatsoever to hurt another person, and there is no reason to keep them alive knowingly they will never be free, it saddens me terribly to see the kind of joy I've seen from some people, that have not been directly afected from this man, while he is humiliated and killed in a inhumane form in front of the whole world. I know he deserved it... definately, yet this is barrbaric, while necessary... how ironic, isn't it?
Just imagine if the US had never given Saddam chemical weapons and financial backing. Then our people wouldn't have led a nation into a war to fix our past mistakes. What a novel concept - setting things right by doing wrong! Innocents died needlessly in Iraq before our invasion, and after four years they're still dying today.
Throughout history, we can see where an innocent child evolved into a devastating monster. Accountability could have helped keep the monster at bay. A loving environment could have prevented the monster from being born. It starts in the home, with a loving mother and father. Unfortunately, some homes have only one parent and some homes have none for the innocent child. But, we as a society have the ability and the tools to create the environment which that innocent child needs in order to evolve into a loving adult, instead of a monster. Warfare is not just occurring on a sandy battlefield with guns and an IED. It is fought in the hearts, minds and souls of our children, every moment of every day. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:12) Denial does not negate the truth. We are at war. Tragically, like all wars, there will be casualties. This image proves that. Thankfully, this is a war that can be won. It is up to every adult, both with child and childless, to equip our children with the tools they need to ward off the enemy. People of this world...it takes a village to raise a child...what type of village are we providing for our children? Get involved! ...do something! ...before we have another casualty of war.
Everyone is someone's child. Regardless of how we're treated as children, it's just you that decides how to act as an adult. Influence is one thing, what you do with it is another. He made the wrong decision.
There is no better telling of who a person is until you look into their eyes. The photo clearly shows a troubled child. There are so many children in the world who have growned up in dysfunctional families and turn out to be good people in the world. He had choices and made wrong ones in his life, causing destruction all over Iraq and suffering to the people. My heart goes out to all the families who were directly affected by him as his regime. Good ridence to all of them who participated in this devlish acts towards humanity.
Saddam, a dictator - yes he was. Saddam deserved death - yes he did. But are not we the american made him for war with Iran?Did not we supply him all the so called WMD for fight against Iran?And now we are celebrating.Yup, we can.We are proud Americans.We r best of all.To hell with past.
I look at this picture of Sadaam as a child and I don't see anything out of the ordinary for the era in which it was taken. This was a time where photographs did not particularly reflect any type of emotion. We read the multimedia director's comments and want to believe there's sadness in his eyes becasue he gives us a look into his childhood. I agree that it is very unfortunate that Sadaam was subjected to abuse and degradation as a child. And perhaps, had he not been subjected to this type of upbringing, he could have been a positive figure in society. However, that was not the case. No part of what he was subjected to should excuse his inhumane behavior. If anything, he should have taken what he endured and been exceptionally sympathetic to others. We as humans have choices. We know the differences between right and wrong... the differences between affection and torture! He chose to behave as an animal. Hence, he died like one. Although, I feel very little sympathy regarding his execution, I do hope that he is able to find in death what he was unable to find in life... inner peace.
when you live in a third world country with poverty in demamd, abusive upbringing, course he couldn't change the course of his life. We as Humans don't have the right to choose who lives or dies.
I don't think he looks angry in this picture - he looks scared. Having grown up in an abusive home, I can relate to the pain he must have endured. I feel sadness for this boy. If only.... If only.....
At least they used a Rope... lets put it to work and get the rest of those that are unfit to take up good space.
I was always brought up to believe that if you didn't like something, you changed it. He (I refuse to type his name) may have been abused as a kid and it's all he knew, but he could've changed it. He could've said "NO, I will not treat others as I've been treated". If only..... if only.... is correct Heather.
Positive upbringing will help someone, but what about all the people who were abused as children and they do not turn into monsters. Saddam made his choice in life as we all have to do. I do feel sad that he made the wrong choices.
Someone said that if he had a better upbringing all that he caused might not of happened. Maybe not by him, perhaps another. How many people has he killed; that were equally as bad as he was, that would have taken his place. There will always be monsters waiting in the wings. He just beat the others to the punch. That is why we must always be on guard and fight the good fight.
It seems that all the commenters have forgotten a couple of facts. Children DO learn what they live. We all have CHOICE. We all have CONSEQUENCE. There are murderers who had wonderful childhoods, every advantage, college educations and they still CHOSE to kill. If we, as parents, allowed our children to suffer consequences more often for their choices, ie. cell phone bill too high? shut it off. Out past curfew? Ground them. Grades too low? no video games. Little consequences that don't cause permanent harm teach all of us how to improve our performance. It's not the government's fault, it's each individual's own accountability and consequence. Buck up! "Break the deal, Face the Wheel" as they'd say at Thunder Dome!
Brutilized children make for a brutal future....no excuses for for what S.H. did or how he chose to live his life, but he is (apparently) a poster child for why child abuse is a crime against humanity.
everybody thinks their right. Why even try? No respects anyone elses opionion but their own.
We all make our own choices regardless of what was "done" to us as a child. Pedophiles use this excuse all the time "it was done to me, so I don't know better". Seems to me if you were brutalized, you know how it feels so would hesitate to do it to someone else. He made his own choices--NO sympathy.
Saddam Hussein Full name Saddam Hussein al-Majid al-Tikriti. AKA 'Great Uncle', AKA 'Lion of Babylon', AKA 'Lion of Iraq', AKA 'Beast of Baghdad'. Saddam translates to 'One Who Confronts'. Country: Iraq. Kill tally: Approaching two million, including between 150,000 and 340,000 Iraqi and between 450,000 and 730,000 Iranian combatants killed during the Iran-Iraq War. An estimated 1,000 Kuwaiti nationals killed following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. No conclusive figures for the number of Iraqis killed during the Gulf War, with estimates varying from as few as 1,500 to as many as 200,000. Over 100,000 Kurds killed or "disappeared". No reliable figures for the number of Iraqi dissidents and Shia Muslims killed during Hussein's reign, though estimates put the figure between 60,000 and 150,000. (Mass graves discovered following the US occupation of Iraq in 2003 suggest that the total combined figure for Kurds, Shias and dissidents killed could be as high as 300,000). Approximately 500,000 Iraqi children dead because of international trade sanctions introduced following the Gulf War. (courtesy of www.moreorless.au.com/killers/hussein.html) would you be saying the same thing if your family was among these statistics? I doubt it. wake up.
I looked at the photo. I don't see sadness or fear in that face. I see a younger monster. Look closely. I see him contemplating how to kill the photographer after the picture is taken. He was destined to be evil. It was already too late. The day he was born it was already too late. Destiny.
What age does someone loose their innocence? I think every 8 year old is innocent. What happened since?
I understant some of you wondering IF Saddan could have been a better person, IF his childhood had not been so abusive, but how about Saddan's sons, who were raised by a loving mother and in the lap of luxury and grew up to be even more vicious than their father.
How does this picture tell the story of "a positive upbringing can have a huge impact on our world"? Robert, please drop the political theme and get back to the pictures.
too bad hitler wasn't hugged more either
When you look into his eyes, you see a deep sadness, and hostility. I pity a life wasted by poor upbringing, but I believe that Saddam had a choice, and that if he so wished, he could have been something else, something better, ya?
It is amazing to me that people like us try to understand the choices that he as a person made. Iraq is something we Americans can only try to understand. These different groups from Sunni to Shiets have been fighting for thousands of years. Hussein did what he did, to bring what possible peace he could to that nation. Think about leading a nation, which the people lack any toleration for one another. Mistakes were made by him, but could anyone do any better? Ruling with force at time is the only way to keep a glimpse of peace. As horrid as that sounds. The media and US government has classified him as a 'evil' person. It is far more complicated than what we can even start to understand. Hell we live in a nation where young kids, kill each other over rap songs and tennis shoes. Yet we are able to point our fingers at the horrors of others. Point at yourself, then make a judgement.
I'd say that if you didn't know who this boy grew up to be, you would look at him and see only a very young child who's life is filled with a lot of pain - his face is young, but the eyes speak volumes and seem so old for someone so young. I feel sadness for this boy, and wonder how many more there are like him in Iraq today....
I agree with the earlier comment that some things just stink. I abhor the man, but I still can't hate this child. I think of the earlier photo in this series of an Iraqi boy shaking hands with a US soldier. The boy's so innocent, beatific really, as he shakes hands. I wonder what he'll become when he's grown.
I see nothing in those dark eyes
I wonder if one day Iraqi people will look at a picture of Bush as a child and ponder how his "upbringing" turned him into a monster.
Let's just hope their is no such thing as a past lives considering what we as humans have done to each other.
I see an innocent boy prior to being exposed to the corruptions of this world.
Nice try, Ad, but it's likely useless to seek understanding of the evil men do. ElenaLV sums up our willful need for ignorance: "I see nothing in those dark eyes." Still, belying her statement, she saw dark in those eyes. What a pitiful species we are.
Pete: "good riddence [sic], this is the 21st century" -- The barbarism of his hanging is as backwards as the barbarism of the slaughters he himself perpetrated. Yeah. 21st Century. It means nothing. Even now human beings remain barbarians. Vulgarians. And in the U.S., materialistic ostriches.
I believe that Saddam Hussein’s hanging was sectarian violence that the US and other western powers were party to. Was Saddam a nice man? I doubt it, but I also don’t believe a nice man could last in the political arena in such a culture of death. Recent history has shown that there are factions within the Arab nations that would stop at nothing, even suicide, to further their political and religious agendum. There was not a moment during his reign that he was not in danger of assassination. This is the atmosphere that made Saddam the monster he had become - that and absolute power. How long did it take American servicemen and servicewomen to fall into the same trap? Let’s not forget the good that Saddam did for Iraq. He raised its level of education and literacy, made electrical energy more available to almost every Iraqi, installed a secular government - much to the consternation of Islamic leaders, did much to further the cause of women’s rights, and certainly helped hold Iran in check (look what has happened there since his deposition). Don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to defend his atrocities. They are despicable by western standards, but it seems to me that Saddam was executed for being the best at playing the game by rules set up long before he got there.
His eyes dont look innnocent definitely as any other child! If his father was abusive, I dont think he can abuse Iraq. Child abuse seems to be in fashion and the best way to escape these days. Saddam was Saddam bcos of him and he had little or no brains to think otherwise. He knew only Weapons and destruction for his won survival.
We must be continually reminded of the tremendous responsibility we have as individuals and as a society to nurture and treasure our children and to value those (other than family) who love to be with our kids by paying them a decent salary. Saddam's stepfather's 'legacy' forged a dark period in Iraqi history.
Thousands of children will never grow up because of this wretched murderer. Millions of lives will never be lived out because of this insane tyrant. May he find his peace and leave us in peace.
you can see the pain and fear in his eyes, how sad it is that a parent could turn their child into someone who became so evil...
Painful and sad childhood, good possiblity, but, he had a choice. As he grew older, he had the will to kill people, why didn't he use that will to help his country instead of terrifying them. There are so many people in this world who use their childhood as an excuse for their behavior, or at least blame it on someone else, it is high time we take responsibility for our own actions and own up to our own mistakes.
I grew up in an abusive and dangerous environment where my mother was beaten by my father who ran a meth lab on the side. I had a cop escort me to class in high school because he would come and try to take me. I am not a mass murderer. I am a good person with good morals who pays taxes and is a good citizen. I get extremely tired of people blaming their current actions on their past. Get over it, move on, rise above it. I do feel sympathy for the boy, but I refuse to excuse the actions of the man.
To JoeBlow, First, your comment to Joanny: she mentions the children of TODAY and the FUTURE - not the PAST. Why do we need reparations for slavery? I know many of my ancestors died in that war to end slavery. It tore our nation apart. I think we already paid. Let's try to improve what we have now and move forward. Who are we punishing and who is receiving these payments you speak of? Based on your theory, can I collect from the US government for not allowing my sex to vote and own property for several centuries? I bet you are always angry for past wrongs.
I look in thise eyes and see satan, and I"m not even a believer. Don't feel sad for him. If there is a hell he is in good company.
It still amazes me how people in this country look at murderers/rapists/child molesters/etc and assume that the ONLY reason these despicable people committed these atrocious crimes was because they had sad childhoods. That is a cop-out. These people should be held FULLY accountable for their actions. Maybe if the bleeding hearts of this country would stop standing in the way and allow for hangings of murderers/rapists/child abusers, it might help to emphasize that all actions have consequences. The life of a criminal is of no use to society, and the death of a criminal is of no loss. Why should we protect the guilty?? Why not start protecting the innocent people of this country by ridding society of these criminals?
the sadness I feel for that boy in the photgraph is one of what could of been. I know that Saddam has been made accountable with his life, and I do know that there are people who are incorrigble, such as he, Hitler, Stalin,Mao just to name a few.. whether it was nurture or nature we will not know til it is all said and done... the photo itself is very good to me.
when I decided to type, there were 82 comments posted on this picture. Another way some of my religous minded friends would view it as 82 sins, everyone and his brother passing judgement on this man, doing god's job. people need to be realistic about the world. This is a man of a different culture, country, and religion. People say what he did was wrong. Well I say he accomplished something NOBODY, not even the US military with all its might- can or will ever do. That is supressing that entire mess called Iraq under HIS rule of law and preventing all the infighting amongst different religous factions. This is what we see every night on Tv. Pandora's box because nobody can control the people! Saddam's presidential style was simple, if you people start killing one another, i'll kill all of you AND your families, until the fighting stops.
Having a bad upbringing does not excuse anything saddam did. Bottom line is, when people grow up, they're responsible for their own actions.
This pic makes me chuckle. Just give his hair a 'lil tussle...
His eyes say it all in this picture. This is a very sad, very hurt, very small little boy. It makes me thankful for my parents and the parent I will hopefully be someday.
HUSSEIN WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER ABUSIVE CHILD, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE CHILDREN WHO WAS ABUSED AND ARE STILL BEING ABUSED, TOTALLY. KNOWING THAT THIS TERRIBLE THING HAPPENED TO HIM, HE DIDN'T VENTURE OUT TO SEEK HELP FOR HIS ISSUES, HE'D CHOSEN TO CONTINUE HIS ROAD OF UNCONTROLLABLE ABUSE AND PAIN BY BECOMING A LEADER OF REVENGE AND VILE ACTS!! HE WAS PERNICIOUS, AND HE DELIBERATELY FOR YEARS HAD UNDER HIS CONTROL FRIGHTENED CITIZENS WHO WAS HELD PRISONERS UNDER HIS ANGER AND PAIN, AND MADE THEM SUFFER FOR AS LONG AS HE HAD UNDER HIS STEP-FATHER'S GUIDANCE. I DO NOT TAKE PLEASURE IN ANYONE BEING PUT TO DEATH. IN FACT, I AM SO AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT,I WOULDN'T WANT AN ENEMY TO GO THIS ROAD. HOWEVER, THIS MAN WAS NOTHING BUT EVIL, AND HE IS EXACTLY WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE. GONE!!
Dear Mr. Hood; Did you know that the term "bleeding heart liberal" is racist?? It was used during the early 20th century to describe the ethnic minorities who hung pictures of Christ and Mary displaying bleeding hearts (and who happened to vote Democratic). The WASPy elite of the US coined this offensive phrase to denigrate immigrants with differing religious, racial, and political beliefs. How sad that racist language has been incorporated into US English in this unthinking manner. I would expect an editor (albeit photographic) to know better.
too bad that so many children grow up to be so wicked
At what point did these beautiful eyes become those of a tyrant, a dictator and a homicidal monster?
