Some Achieve Greatness

I must admit here and now that I watched the cellphone video of Saddam Hussein's hanging. The tape that played over and over on cable and network television news since last December 30th (the one that stops just after they put the noose around his neck) was not enough. No matter how many times they played it, no matter how many times I heard or read that the man was now dead, deep in my heart I had a suspicion that Hussein was not dead. It was not beyond believe that he had been smuggled out of that little room the second after the tape ended.

So, when I heard that the execution was caught with a camera phone I started searching the Internet and quickly found a website that was showing it. By the time I got there almost three million people had watch this video. I hesitated for a moment before I clicked the play button as bubbles of nervousness percolated in my gut. What I saw was crude camera work with the image bouncing around and the sound of angry voices in the background. When the phone was held steady I could see Hussein standing on the hanging platform as the noose was placed around his neck. The voices got louder and then there was a loud bang and Hussein's body and head dropped quickly out of the frame. He's there one second, then he is not. Next there was darkness. I knew what was coming because I had read a description of what is on this video and I wanted to turn my eyes away. I could not seem to do this but I did turn my body away from my computer screen. I was still trying to decide if I wanted to see what is next but before I could make up my mind I saw a close-up of Hussein's head and broken neck in a circle of bright white light. Shock and a slight feeling of nausea raced through my body.

Oh God, why did I want to watch this? Because I no longer believe what I see on the news or what my government tells me. The news is censored and our government lies to us all the time. Ok, writing "all the time" is a little paranoid but I do believe that this administration lies to us quite a bit. After the execution of Hussein we were told that President Bush went to bed before the hanging took place and that his staff did not awake him to tell him Hussein was dead. That was upsetting to me. I thought it showed a lack of respect for the troops that are over in Iraq and especially the ones who have died. Wasn't Hussein the great evil of the 21st century? Wasn't his death Iraq's only true hope for democracy? Now all of a sudden his death is meaningless? So meaningless that the President did not even stay awake for it?

But wait. What if the story of Bush sleeping thorough the execution is a lie. What if the story was one of his adviser's idea? Tell the world that Bush slept thorough the hanging. Thus send a message to our enemies over in the Middle East that Hussein was such a nobody the president of the great United States Of America did not think his death more important that that of a dog. My, my aren't we tough? I am so sick of this game. Why don't we get to the real issue in all these power plays on the part of Bush and our perceived enemies. Let's get them all in one room, give them each a ruler, and have them drop their pants. We'll quickly find out who the big man really is here.