Bag's Rants

Iraqis PR not having the effect they want.

It seems that the Iraqis have been learning from the wrong people. Every PR exercise they do ends in a cock up. It is true they are at the start of a new chapter in their history but trying to fit in with Western ideas while sticking to the middle eastern history is creating a bit of a problem. Even the little comments meant to belittle the executed men seems to be a desperate attempt at digging the knife in one last time. Read here.

The article says that 'Barzan and al-Bandar were shaking with fear as they approached the gallows'. Now, that's what someone said about Saddam but when the video was shown it was an entirely different matter. Regardless, they were about to participate in their own execution. No matter how much faith you have it must be frightening. Just a few words to belittle their enemies.

Then there was the miscalculation, or probably no calculation, to get the drop right which led to the beheading. Clearly they had no interest at all in this. As long as the guy was dropping it was OK. They clearly would have been happy with him swinging in the noose strangling. After all he deserved it.

Finally, the most curious bit. One of the officials on seeing Barzan prepared and then the drop thought he had escaped. "I thought the convict Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti had escaped the noose. I shouted that he's escaped the noose". Sounds like a kid deprived of his toy.

It's these things that make me convinced that all we have done is taken the country from a tyrant and given it to a bunch of savages where it will degenerate more and more into chaos until another Saddam comes along.

With nothing to contradict the official video we have been told everything went according to Iraqi and Islamic standards. To be honest i believe Saddam's also followed those rules. Ending up dead seems to be the standard so we can all agree that it did. Taunts and telling them what is going on off camera is an added extra.

All in all another cock up from a country that has many more to come. These won't be the last hangings but they are the ones that are publicised worldwide. Think of the atrocities that will be taking place in the name of justice in the new democratic country of Iraq from now on.

And these executions must be a real boon to the prosecution on the other cases. As the main participants get wiped out one by one it's only be the poor boy making the tea who can be tried for the Iraq/Iran war. And of course no one to speak out about the Wests involvement.

posted by Bag @ 10:34 am