When the Romans staged a triumph — a parade in celebration of victory — it often featured the defeated enemies in chains, walking behind the chariot of the victor. The symbolism of Roman strength and the subjugation of its empire was not lost on any who saw it or heard of it. We could have benefited from taking Saddam's sons alive. But they chose not to surrender, and shot it out with our troops, knowing they couldn't win. They made a choice, which their old man may also make. Taking Saddam alive and putting him on trial for all of his war crimes and crimes against humanity would be a great spectacle, and could be both a great gain and a great loss for us.
Saddam: Dead or Alive?
The dictator’s ultimate fate.
Joe Babbin..
For each mass grave we put in evidence, for each raped woman and disfigured man, for each of the thousands of Kurds who died in the chemical-weapons attack on Halabjah, there would be hours and days of denials, and calls for us to produce Saddam's weapons of mass destruction. There would be accusations of war crimes by the Coalition, and demands for testimony by Messrs. Bush, Blair, Powell, Straw, and others. Those who dream of a public-relations bonanza in a trial of Saddam may, instead, give one to him and our other enemies in the region.
If Saddam surrenders, or can be taken without great risk, take him alive and try him. If not, Saddam delendus est.
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