NYT: Better Alive Than Dead

[kskiska]

The killing of Saddam Hussein's sons, Uday and Qusay, is a tactical victory for the American occupation of Iraq. But it is not a strategic one. By not capturing these odious symbols of the old regime alive and putting them on display, the American occupation authority has denied itself the chance to give absolute proof of their demise to a society that rejects authority and thrives on conspiracy theory. It has also lost an opportunity to give Iraqis a chance to purge their bitterness, and satisfy a deep-seated need for revenge, by confronting their tormentors in court.

(snip)

It is also uncertain whether the United States will be able to tell its story to the Iraqi people. The American military may control large parts of Iraq, but it does not control the flow of information. The Iraqi media is capable of devising its own narrative of the firefight, and there's a good chance that this narrative will not paint the United States in a favorable light. (Even the American release of photographs may not confirm that the brothers were killed.)

(snip)

In giving up on the attempted capture of the Hussein brothers as too risky, the American administration of Iraq has ignored the dictates of Iraqi culture. At the same time, it also runs counter to the kind of country we want Iraq to become — one built around the rule of law. Under Mr. Hussein's reign, justice, to the extent it existed, was consistently perverted. It was erratic, violent and retributive, a tool of Mr. Hussein and his Baath Party. By not doing more to allow Uday and Qusay Hussein to surrender, the United States lost an opportunity to show Iraqis that those who have committed the most heinous of crimes can still be brought to justice.

(snip)

The deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein are being proclaimed a victory, but it is a temporary victory. And the manner in which they died is yet another long-term complication for the American occupation of Iraq.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/24/opinion/24MACK.html

[acmavm]

1. This is the New York Times? New York, Albania maybe. But I find

it hard to believe New York, USA.

What's up with this?