Saddam Hussein have a greater influence in death than he might have had from a prison cell

Another Saladin . . .

In fast-moving Iraq, Saddam had been removed from power a long time ago. At trial he defended his status as Iraqi president, given the illegitimate invasion and his subsequent displacement. At his execution, he appeared calm and dignified. All of these images may endure longer than anything from Anfal, Dujail or Halabja.

When the executioners created another controversy, it brought the once “yesterday’s man” into the present and future. As a result Saddam Hussein might not even need to be a Gamal Nasser II or another Saladdin, which he had tried in vain to be, to have a greater influence in death than he might have had from a prison cell.

The mention of the late Egyptian president Gamal Nasser II (1918-1970), and Kurdish legend Saladdin, is significant in the context. Saladin or Salah ad-Din, or Salahuddin Ayyubi (circa 1138 - March 4, 1193), was a 12th century Kurdish Muslim general and warrior from Tikrit, in present day northern Iraq. Interestingly, Saddam Hussein (full name: Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti) was also born in the town of Al-Awja, near present day Tikrit in the Sunni Triangle.

Saladdin founded the Ayyubid dynasty of Egypt, Syria, Yemen (except for the Northern Mountains), Iraq, Mecca Hejaz and Diyar Bakr. Saladdin is renowned in both the Muslim and Christian worlds for leadership and military prowess, tempered by his chivalry and merciful nature during his war against the Crusaders. (See wikipedia) And MDeC's Creative Mulitimedia Cluster is currently pumping big money to make a Hollywood-grade animated film about him. Read an article by Bunn Nagara in his new column Mid Week: Saddam may have had to die just to have revenge. He wrote regular Sunday column in World News in The Star, Behind the Headlines.

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