'Today': Saddam Execution 'Vindictive, Primitive, Revenge, Suspect, Rush to Judgment'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

This morning's "Today" show characterized the execution of Saddam Hussein in generally negative terms. According to NBC reporter Richard Engel, reporting from Baghdad:

"The Iraqi government is now going to great lengths to say that this execution was carried out with the utmost respect for human rights; that it was a very organized, precise event. However, interviews that we've conducted with witnesses, judges and other people who attended and followed all the proceedings say it was much more emotional and chaotic."

Continued Engel: "The execution was primitive and vindictive. "

Engel stated that the site of the execution was one of Saddam's most notorious intelligence headquarters in Baghdad, where Shia radicals were executed, Shia from the same party now leading the Iraqi government.

As video of Prime Minister Maliki flashed on the screen, Engel concluded: "today was their revenge."

View video of Engel here.Host Lester Holt then interviewed NBC consultant Rick Francona, a retired Lt. Col. Francona began by unwittingly refuting Engel's claim that the execution was "primitive," noting that the gallows were newly-constructed in the western "drop" style, causing instantaneous death, in contrast with the traditional "hoist" method employed in the Middle East causing death by slower asphyxiation.

But Francona then claimed that the execution would be viewed as "vindictive" and that "the timing is now suspect." He pointed out that others had been sentenced to death with Saddam but that he had been the only one executed yesterday, prior to the Muslim holiday. Asked Francona: "So what was the rush to judgment?"

He actually went on to answer his own question: "I think everybody was concerned that this tension was building. It was getting worse ever since the appeal was denied. So they wanted to get this over with."

View video of Francona here.

Makes sense. And that being so, in what sense was the timing "suspect" and "a rush to judgment"?

Finkelstein was in Iraq last month. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Ping to Today show list.

[RightOnline]

"Today Show", eh....................they still have that chimp?

[ethics]

Where was the Today Show when the Kurds were getting gased by Sadam?

[don-o]

LOL!

You gotta be an old fart (like me)

Was her name Beulah?

[Uncle Ike]

" they still have that chimp? "

Haven't watched the Today Show in years (weak stomach), but from GLGB's reports, I gather that the chimps have taken over......

[ImAmericanFirst]

Liberals lost a friend last night

http://www.cafenetamerica.com

[bushfamfan]

Thank God these people weren't around during the Nurembourg trials.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

Wonder what he would say about a hypothetical execution of Hitler? Hitler is the one evil socialist dictator who's not "cool" these days.

[samtheman]

It's the business of the MSM to spin every event in a way that is most negative to the Bush administration. Although this trial and execution was carried out by the Iraqi's, and not the Americans, the MSM evidently believes that by somehow characterizing this verdict, sentencing and execution as a "rush to judgment" and "vindictive" they are splashing some indirect excrement onto the WhiteHouse, which is their one and only goal.

[Lurker]

noting that the gallows were newly-constructed in the western "drop" style,

I hear Halliburton got the contract on a no-bid basis.

L

[RichInOC]

They have Matt Lauer. Is that close enough?

[hnj_00]

saw the report....this a-hole portrays suddamm in a better light than all the pieces he's done on Bush.....

how come when Suddamm gassed his own people and murdered so many of them with torture and also with rape rooms, etc....nbc and the msm were no were to be found!!!!

[Silly]

[Tanniker Smith]

Was her name Beulah?

No, Katie.

[ken5050]

Remember what the Romanians did to Ceaceascue (sp?) and his wife?..Now THAT was a "Rush to Judgement" and "vindictive"..

Off topic a tad, but the deaths of Saddam and Ford have really detracted from Pelosi's self-annoited "coronation"...Too bad.. (NOT!)

[Darkwolf377]

"the timing is now suspect."

Good grief, when is the timing of anything NOT suspect with these people?

Oh, right--when the event they don't approve of doesn't happen.

[Bahbah]

He pointed out that others had been sentenced to death with Saddam but that he had been the only one executed yesterday

Do they not even bother to check their facts, or do they just not want to let the facts get in the way of their "story line". Two of Saddam's henchmen were executed right along with him. Has one of them yet mused that the evil George Bush did this now in an attempt to improve his poll numbers. Good grief, they are just so transparent...and it is still working, folks, despite our efforts. I guess we need to do better.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

NBC reporter Richard Engel

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...

Wonder if he is related.

Saddam was a Ba'ath Socialist Party leader.

[silverleaf]

"vindictive"?

Do these well-dressed suits who love to analyze from arm chairs on the TV studio set, think that maybe the Iraqi people who survived Saddam's genocidal reign - had anything to vindicate by executing him under the laws of their constitution?

Justice is "vindictive". It "vindicates" society's right to demand response to the the severity of the crime(s) the perpetrator did to the victim.

Libs need to get over it.

And Lt Col Francona needs to refresh us on Saddam's methods of trial and execution and the definition of "crime" that led to execution under Saddam's regime.