Four years of shock and awe

The Iraqi government marked this inauspicious day with another hanging.

We stop and think about the evil that has been visited upon this country in pursuit of a goal that was built of false pretences (WMD) and the establishment of a dream that barely works in countries of the Coalition (Democracy).

The use of force to impose order and peace where the government is doing nothing to heal and reconcile; offering sacrifices of evil men with callous revenge in the hope that vengeance would assuage the insurgency is unhelpful and the continued occupation that only fuels the determination of those who wreak such horrific tragedies leaves us with a gambling hand and not an assured outcome.

In all, it has been shock and awe since the 20^th of March 2003, the shocking numbers of the dead and the awful ferocity of violence that makes the tyranny of Saddam Hussein's regime look like their world at peace.

The presence or absence of our troops in Iraq is unlikely to result in any triumphant parade of the occupation forces; the shame of misadventure latches itself to the history that would be written of the belligerent leaders whose determination beclouded judgement in the face of stiff opposition and flawed ideologies.

I pray that peace might come upon Iraq, but it would require more than men to see this happen in our lifetime.

Another black day is marked with more Shock and Awe, the rapid dominance of death, carnage, violence, sorrow, despair and despondency in the life an everyday person who just happens to live in Baghdad.

Dummies Guide to Hanging

Blood-thirsty voyeurism

I did not avail myself of the opportunity to view the humiliation of Saddam Hussein, the reports were graphic enough, and one had to be spared that additional savage voyeurism that came with the true videos of the real judicial murder.

As if that were not enough, additional videos were published taken by stealth of a large gash to Saddam Hussein’s neck and some bruising to his face which hopefully was caused by the hanging rather than the rats who rejoiced around the corpse as they worked out the frenzy of revenge.

Now, the other two condemned ones were hanged just before dawn and we are informed that this was also filmed, this time; I hope the government would not lie to us about the events, most especially the shameless lying National Security Advisor; I just cannot bring myself to like him on any level.

Most importantly is the hope that the witnesses were more circumspect than the first mob of disrepute, but that would not take away from the certain other detail that has now been revealed.

Hangman’s Manual 101

No one it seems attempted to determine that the body plunge at the releasing of the trap door and the dislocation of the spinal column in the neck area might exert a greater effect as to have the head rolling off, probably into the laps of the onlookers.

The BBC link offers a general idea of what should happen

Execution intended to break the neck, not strangle

‘Long drop’ method developed in late 19th Century

Length of rope calculated using prisoner's weight

Drop is usually 4ft-10ft (1.3m-3m)

Too long a drop leads to decapitation

It would appear the method used to hang these men is Victorian – in 2007? Thus far has civilisation brought us that we return to crude methods of killing that make mean savages of otherwise intelligent men.

Even this simple exercise of hanging could not be conducted with a modicum of professional application.

Their nightmares begin

Anyone who was within earshot of the gruesome straining sound that had the body snap off to make a hanging an outright decapitation would remember that sound for a long time, the ones who saw the body separate from the head would dream of it till the day they die – it is no curse.

Men have had nightmares unspeakable for seeing or hearing a lot less, we shall see if the justice done for those of Dujail shall now been read as justice served for those of Halabja.

The lament I hear is that of death and destruction that has been visited upon Iraq, unwarranted, illegally, unabated and continually – May the souls of all Iraqis dead – Rest In Peace, be it of the good or the evil, we leave the rest to God.