So another phase in the trial of Saddam Hussein is over; Saddam has been found guilty and sentenced to death. The former dictator committed many crimes while in power, he attacked the Kurds with chemical weapons, ruthlessly oppressed the Shia majority in the south, and started two wars, the first of which caused hundreds of thousands of deaths. He is a bad dude.

But will sentencing him to death lead to any real solution to the myriad problems Iraq faces right now? This nation is riven with sectarian tensions, and it is quite likely that the verdict could exaserbate the already tense divisions. While Saddam should face justice, it must not be in a manner that leads to an all out civil war. The Iraqi people suffered greatly under Saddam, and they have suffered even more under the Americans, will they have to suffer more because the Americans have orchestrated the dictators death?

I say 'orchestrated' because there is no doubt in my mind that the verdict in Saddam's case was decided before he even stepped into the courtroom. Neither the Americans nor the Shia would ever let this man walk free. That he was sentenced to death two days before the US Congressional elections is but further proof that this trial is a farce. The Republicans have a lot to gain from this verdict, Bush has no problem lying or manipulating the legal/democratic system, and no serious, non-partisan legal expert has given their support to the trial.

It shouldn't be a problem to convict Saddam, as I said he's a bad dude, but this manner lacks credibility which is the most important factor in the courts decision. I just don't want to see this lead to more death in Iraq.