It is hard to figure out why I should feel sorrow over the execution of a foreign leader who I personally had no interaction with. In fact no one I know has had any kind of personal interaction with him or the regime which caused so many Iraqis distress and pain. So it seems as if I should just be a disinterested bystander, acknowledge that a just decision was made by the courts in his country and leave it at that.
Last night while I was watching a bit of the news the story was being played. I imagine we will see many documentaries on this in the future. This isn’t the first leader to have slid into disfavour by destroying his country in building up his personal power and wealth. You would think they would learn from each others downfalls. The quest for power doesn’t seem to leave people alone. Once in a position to grasp it, power seems to have a demonic force that destroys those who take it. So the old saying that “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” has been shown again to be true.
So, why should I feel any sadness at all over this man who let evil destroy him? I think it may just be that – he let evil win in his own life and let evil use him to perpetrate horrors on others. Our judgement on him is probably just. But, was there no good in him? Had he so destroyed the image of God in himself that we should rejoice in his death?
I see no cause for rejoicing or even for relief. The regime put in power now could in time become just as evil. That has happened too often to look on this execution as cause for hope.
As Randall states in his post, “The bloodshed he caused has led to more bloodshed, which tomorrow will lead to even more bloodshed.”
Hope comes from another source entirely; from a source that looks like foolishness to the great power brokers and politicians of the world. Still, I think we saw some of that foolishness happening in South Africa.
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