Monday, January 27, 2020

Analysis of Saddam Husseins Trial

Analysis of Saddam Husseins Trial Frank Kopeski On March 19 2003 The United States along with allied forces invaded Iraq and marked the start of the Iraq War. The Conflict later received the name Operation Iraqi Freedom by the United States. The invasion consisted of 21 days of major combat operations in which a joint force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and overthrew the Baathist government of Saddam Hussein. The invasion phase consisted primarily of a conventionally fought war which concluded with the capture of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad by American forces. On December 13 2003 US troops Cptured Saddam Hussein. He was taken into custody for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. With success of detaining the Iraqi President this raised a very important question. What do we do with him? Since his crimes were committed in Iraq it would only make sense that a trial be held there. The Iraqi Interim Government ended up conducting the trial. The United States Established the Iraqi Interim Government after the invasion. The Coalition Provisional Authority voted to create the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST), consisting of five Iraqi judges. The United states Depart of justice aided in the investigation. The DOJ also aided in the setting up of the trial. The most challenging part for the US in Aiding the trial was to not get entirely involved. This became very difficult especially during the trial. The first trial began before the Iraqi Special Tribunal on October 19th 2005. At this trial Saddam and seven other defendants were tried for crimes against humanity with regard to events that took place after a failed assassination attempt in Dujail in 1982 by members of the IslÄ mic Dawa Party. A second and separate trial began on 21 August 2006, trying Saddam and six co-defendants for genocide during the Anfal military campaign against the Kurds of northern Iraq. Saddam may have also been tried in absentia for events dating to the Iran–Iraq War and invasion of Kuwait, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. During the trial Saddam appeared confident. He denied all charges and stated he was just doing what any good president would do. On November 5 2006 Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by hanging for the killing of 148 Shiites from Dujail, in retaliation for the assassination attempt. No further action was necessary and Saddam was ordered executed within 30 days of that date. When sentenced to death Saddam stated â€Å"Long live the people. Long live the Arab nation. Down with the spies. God is great. Saddam Hussein is executed on December 30 2006 at about 6:05am. He was hung at an Iraqi army base in Kazimain called Camp Justice. After his execution all other charges were dropped. On January 15 2007 Saddams co-defendants, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, his half-brother and Iraqs intelligence chief at the time of the Dujail killings, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, who issued death sentences to Dujail residents as head of a Revolutionary Court, were also sentenced to death by hanging. The former Iraqi vice-president Taha Yassin Ramadan is originally sentenced to life in prison. However, his sentencing changed to death by hanging on 12 February 2007. Ramadans execution took place on March 20th 2007. Many Viewed the trial as a joke, Stating it as a â€Å"show trial or a Kangaroo Court Human Rights Watch stated that Saddams execution follows a flawed trial and marks a significant step away from the rule of law in Iraq. Amnesty International stated that the trial was unfair, Many believed that the US had heavy influence on the court; this includes Saddams legal counsel Khalil al-Dulaimi. Khalil stated, This court is a creature of the US military occupation, and the Iraqi court is just a tool and rubber stamp of the invaders. Although many felt that the US had too much influence in the trial others believed that they didn’t have enough. The trial seemed to have one goal in mind, and that was revenge. Because the US did not have final say in how the trial was conducted the trail was not entirely modeled after our system which has the one goal of justice. For example every time a judge would sway towards Saddams side or agree with him on a statement the judge would be replaced with a new judge. This happened many times. Another example was the way the execution was conducted. The date and place of the execution were secret until the sentence was carried out. The execution was completely absent of respect. Every aspect of the execution was fueled by revenge. He was ridiculed and humiliated which portraits a powerful message. Although his sentencing in many aspects is just, the conduction was not. This runs a huge risk of retaliation which can cause problems in the future. Currently we are finding out that ISIS is a major problem. ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) is an extremist, jihadist group that aimed to set up an Islamic state in Sunni Arab-majority areas of Iraq. Many are former Baathists who seek retaliation. Raouf Abdul Rahman the Kurdish judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to be executed has himself been captured and executed by ISIS. He was killed by the militants in retaliation for the killing of Saddam Hussein. Martha Minow discussed three issues that were present during the Nuremberg trials that are similar to those in Saddams trial. The three aspects Minow points out that deserve critiquing are retroactivity, politicization, and selectivity. Retroactivity is explained as defendants being charged with charges that were not announced before the start of the trial or didn’t exist before the trial. It violates the rule of law because of the laws commitment to apply clear, preexisting norms. The second aspect is politicization constructing a group of different institutions and political pressures that get rid of personal independence and norms, such as they did in Nuremberg with the format of the trial, being base on five different countries that all have different laws and political pressures. Lastly she points out selectivity, which is picking out targets that could be charged with violations. Prosecutorial discretion is reflected off of identification of offenders and who is held res ponsible. It also reflects the chance of finding and arresting offenders. It is based off of who is selected to be held responsible for the crime at hand. Retroactivity could have played a role in Saddams Trial. This is because the new Iraqi government was just formed. When Saddam was in power his actions would not be considered a crime under his government, but with the newly formed Iraq his actions were criminal. In a way this could be seen as retroactive. The next aspect is politicization; The US played a major role in constructing of the trial. Many aspects of it were not the norm of Iraqi culture. This put political pressure on the trial that many did not agree with. Lastly it was difficult to decide who exactly was responsible for what crime. Many crimes committed were done by Saddams or those working under him but some weren’t exactly clear who was responsible. , Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Awad Hamed al-Bandar were executed for crime committed during the Dujail kill ings. The argument can be made that they were acting under Saddams orders. This process of figuring out who is responsible can be seen as selectivity. The goal of these tribunals is to find justice. This tends to be very difficult do without being bias due to the nature of war. Justice is guided by truth, reason and fairness. This is all for the good of the people. Although some may disagree, revenge isn’t justice. . In times like this it is hard to determine what is right and what is wrong. There is a fine line between cruelty and justice. This is a perfect example of how justice can be a double edged sword. Its situations like this that we need to learn from the past in order to move forward for the future. Work Cited Minow, M. (1998). Between Vengence and Forgiveness. Boston: beacon press books. America at a Crossroads: The Trial of Saddam Hussein, PBS Jun 4, 2014 ANDRE WALKER, http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/06/23/Saddam-Hussein-Judge-Executed-By-ISIS. 23 Jun 2014.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Gettysburg: Movie and History Essay

The American Civil War has captured the imagination and the hopes and fears of the American people. It is the only major war fought within the borders of the United States. It was a bloody war fought during the time of President Lincoln, considered as the greatest President of the US. Gettysburg is the historical landmark where the result of the Civil War was decided. The Gettysburg movie was based on Michael Shaara’s novel â€Å"The Killer Angels. † It follows the events of the Battle of Gettysburg, which decided the turnout of the American Civil War. Ronald F. Maxwell directed the film. Gettysburg film is an important movie in that the National Park Service allowed, for the first time, a movie to film battle scenes on the very Gettysburg Battlefield. The movie needed thousands of people as volunteers for the battle scenes. As such, thousands of Americans participated in the battle scenes. Gettysburg was not very successful commercially in the theaters. But when it was released in VHS and DVD format, it gained popularity. The film also featured several appearances from media personalities such as Ted Turner, the media mogul and Ken Burns, a documentary writer and filmmaker. The film runs for an astounding 4 hours and 15 minutes. Synopsis of the Movie The Gettysburg film essentially chronicles the defense of Little Round Top as well as Pickett’s Charge. It portrays the chaos of the battlefield but presents clearly the strategy of the battle. The battle was for three days and the movie presented speeches of generals and officers as well as the personal reflections of the men in the battle. On the first day of battle, the movie focuses on John Buford as he selects the battlefield. On the second day, the scenes shift to the manner in which Joshua Chamberlain defended Little Round Top. On the evening of the second day, the army prepares for Pickett’s Charge. The movie presents different perspectives from both Confederates and Union soldiers and officers, thereby presenting a better view of the Civil from the trenches. Interestingly, the film also shows the different conflicts of soldiers such as Longstreet and Lee who differed on how to go on with the battle tactic. Armistead on the other hand is fighting against his own friend Hancock and the Chamberlain brothers. What Truly Happened at Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg claimed the most casualties during the American Civil War. During this war, the attack of Robert E. Lee with his Army of Northern Virginia was repulsed by Union Major Gen. George Gordon Meade with the Army of the Potomac. Gen. Lee positioned his army at Gettysburg. Confederate corps helped Lee’s forces and Union forces were forced back to retreat. The Union Army continued to suffer losses as Lee’s forces fought at the Light Round top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, and Devil’s Den. In spite of these losses, the Union soldiers held their ground. The dramatic Pickett’s Charge with 12,500 Confederates attacked the Union line. Yet, with the rifles and the artillery of the Union soldiers, and the Confederates lost badly. With this defeat, Lee led the Confederate Army back to Virginia. More than 50,000 Americans fell on the fields of Gettysburg on that three-day war (Stackpole, 1956). Gettysburg: Movie and History The movie is historically accurate as it presents only the battle scenes of the American Civil War. Although it is difficult to verify some of the statements that the officers and generals uttered to their men, the overall effect still provides an accurate description of what truly happened during the Battle of Gettysburg. The movie presented an amazing flurry of battle scenes, dialog and military tactics in the film. Although the movie was a little too long, it was necessary to present the complexity, the confusion and the difficulties that soldiers faced at the trenches. What is lacking, however, is a deeper analysis of why the battle was fought and what its implications are in the American society. Perhaps the filmmakers left it to historians and to teachers to deal with the historical aspect of the film. Conclusion In terms of capturing the drama, the tension, and the chaos of the Battle of Gettysburg, the movie has succeeded. What it lacks in deeper historical analysis may be supplemented by historians and teachers. Students who will watch the film will come to appreciate history better and will develop a greater appreciation for Gettysburg and indirectly, for what Lincoln has brought to the American nation. Reference Stackpole, Gen. Edward J. , â€Å"They Met at Gettysburg†, Stackpole Books, 1956.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Comment on the various sorts of love shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy based around a pair of young lovers. The play is set in 12th century Verona where a pair of families, the Capulet’s and the Montague’s have been feuding for many years. The play revolves around Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet falling deeply in love and the events that befall these two forbidden lovers. The play covers an array of different types of love and love related issues from brotherly love to bodily lust, Shakespeare uses the characters to portray stereotyped ideas of love and how it affects people. Before even the first scene is out, the play has already touched upon the idea of brotherly love. Benvolio, the cousin of Romeo, finds Romeo in a state of near depression and says to Romeo ‘What sadness lengthens Romeos hours’? With this line Shakespeare is showing Benvolio’s concern as a man might unto his brother. Romeo is sad because he has fallen in love with a girl, Rosaline ‘In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. ‘ However Romeo’s chosen spouse does not return the affection, as Romeo states ‘She will not stay the siege of loving terms’. Benvolio offers to Romeo the idea of looking for a different more attainable woman. He gives this advice in order that his cousin may once again be happy thus showing his affection for Romeo. Throughout the play Shakespeare writes about light when referring to love, he talks of it in the prologue before the play is even afoot ‘A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;’ It does not stop here however, on Romeo’s first encounter with Juliet he says ‘O she doth teach the torches to burn bright’ Meaning that she brings light to his dark troubled state of mind, where there was the haze of rejection her light shines through brightening his mood. Again in scene two upon meeting with Juliet his love Romeo compares her presence to light ‘But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? ‘ To Romeo meeting Juliet is like the sun rising, just as the sun lights up the world she lights up his mood and, as the sun clears the morning mist, so Juliet clears the fog of his mind leaving it clear. I think Shakespeare uses these references to light to show that in ‘dark’ times often love can show the way. Perhaps showing that in the face of a problematic social environment love can be a beacon to those who embrace it. When Romeo first visits friar Lawrence in Act two Scene three they speak of Romeo’s newfound love for Juliet and change of heart to Rosaline ‘With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no; I have forgot that name, and that names woe’ By this he is telling the friar that he has not only stopped doting on Rosaline but, has in fact undergone a total change in spirits forgetting the woes he had over Rosaline. However the Friar speaks of the doubts he had for the sincerity of Romeo’s love for Rosaline in the first place ‘Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell. ‘ This implies that Romeo, whilst sounding outwardly convincing lacked the meaning behind his words. Shakespeare is again using a characters opinion to influence that of the audience, in this case Romeo’s love for Rosaline may well have been true but due to the friars opinionated speech the audience is cast into doubt on the matter. The friar also chides Romeo about his use of elaborate metaphorical language when talking of love, telling him to ‘be plain, good son,’ For in order for Friar Lawrence to absolve Romeo he must first be able to understand him. Yet it is not just the friar who is suspicious of Romeo’s decorative words, Juliet had already commented on the way he talks in Act two Scene two ‘O swear not by the moon, th’inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. ‘ Romeos allegorical promises do not hold well with Juliet because in his words no definition can be found merely elaborate metaphors. However Juliet’s complaints go unheeded for later Act two Scene six Romeo is again using exotic language in order to describe his love for her ‘Unfold the imagined happiness that both Receive in either by this dear encounter. ‘ Juliet however responds by saying ‘Conceit, more rich in matter than in words, Brags of his substance, not of ornament; They are but beggars that can count their worth, But my true love is grown to such excess I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth. ‘ What Juliet is saying here is that unlike Romeo she cannot sum up her love for him in words. Shakespeare uses strong negative imagery such as ‘beggars’ and ‘conceit’ to display Juliet’s exasperation with Romeos continuing usage of needless ornate speech. But despite Juliet’s doubts and Romeo’s misleading words there is an overwhelming love between the pair that cannot go unnoticed. Even upon their first meeting Romeo’s feelings for Juliet are obvious ‘Did my heart love till now? ‘ He directs this phrase at Juliet before the two have even met. Yet when they do at last meet Juliet shares with Romeo not one but two kisses, the second induced by Juliet ‘Then have my lips the sin that they have took’ These shows of affection in the time in which the play was written would be unheard of upon a first meeting. This shows just how the pair truly epitomise the phrase ‘Love at first sight’ for they did not let the fact that they were total strangers hinder the strength of their feelings even if the feeling was simply lust. However as of yet we cannot tell whether Romeo is sincere in his love this time rather than just lustfully infatuated as he was with Rosaline, the cousin of Juliet. However he proves himself later in the act by saying ‘Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised; Henceforth I never will be Romeo’ By this he is offering to change his name if it would make Juliet love him and be with him. During Shakespearian times it was no small feat to denounce one’s name, there was a lot more weight placed upon names back then, especially if it was a name of high social standing as was Romeo’s. This proposal shows the true and serious nature of Romeo’s newfound love. However it is not simply Romeo who makes such a bold offer for earlier in the scene Juliet says ‘be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be a Capulet’ To the audience Shakespeare was writing for this selfless act on both their parts would have convinced the audience that their love was true. Another factor that Shakespeare played upon to influence his audience into believing that Romeo and Juliet’s love was true was his use of Religious language upon their first meeting. ‘If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this, My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. ‘ Shakespeare deliberately uses this language to symbolise a number of things. Firstly that Juliet like a shrine is ‘untouched’ or virginal this theme is recurrent through the first two acts of the play. Secondly it However not all Shakespeare’s example’s of love are so romantic for instance Juliet’s mother The Lady Capulet says to Juliet considering the offer of marriage from Paris ‘So shall you share all that he doth possess, By having him, making yourself no less. ‘ This shows a very materialistic side to Lady Capulet it also implies that the reason she is married to Lord Capulet might not necessarily be because they are in love. It portrays a much more dutiful love between Juliet’s parents perhaps Lady Capulet loves Lord Capulet simply because they are married rather than being married because they are in love. This type of relationship was common in Tudor times because often romanticism was overlooked in the face of bettering oneself financially. Paris’ show of affection for Juliet is not without a sense of duty he, as was proper in those days, approaches Lord Capulet for his daughters hand in marriage ‘But now, my lord, what say you to my suit? ‘ At this point Capulet believes his daughter to be too young for marriage yet he encourages young Paris to ‘woo’ her in order that she may fall in love with him down the line ‘And too soon marred are those so early made. ‘ Might be referring to the marriage of himself and lady Capulet that has now become loveless and hollow. He as a loving father does not wish this upon his own only child so through Paris’ persistence Shakespeare shows another form of love, the love of a father for his daughter. Yet not all Shakespeare’s characters believed in such an ‘honourable’ love. In his opening scene there are two servant men talking between themselves, there speech although on the topic of fighting generally is rife with sexual innuendo and pun. For example ‘Ay, the heads of maids, or their maidenheads, take it in what sense thou wilt’ This line seemingly innocent to the reader of our time has a very rude meaning in Shakespearian language where ‘maidenhead’ means virginity, in this sense the two are talking of having sex with virgins, more than a little less noble than the good Paris. They speak also of pushing women to the wall because of their weaker build; this all shows little true emotion and a very physically sexual type of ‘love ‘ if indeed it can be referred to as that at all. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was a revolutionary piece when it was written because it showed just how love can move people in an age where marriage for social or financial gain was the norm. Over nearly five hundred years Shakespeare’s language and story line has captivated the hearts and minds of generations of lovers with its unique mixture of reality and fantasy. Romeo and Juliet is one piece of Shakespeare’s work that will remain a true timeless classic.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Leadership And The Actions It Entails - 1175 Words

The study of leadership and the actions it entails can be dated back as far as 2300 B.C (Bass and Stodill, 1990), however in the modern day the study has evolved greatly, with theories and writers inputting their views and constantly updating and changing the definitions of what they believe leadership to be. It is argued that the study of leadership has â€Å"almost as many definition as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept† (Bolden, 2005), however the majority of the definitions all appear to arrive at similar conclusions as to what the action of leadership entails. A well-known definition of leadership was proposed in 2012 by Day et al, in which they described the leadership process as being â€Å"a purpose-driven action that brings change or transformation based on ideal, visions, symbols and emotional exchanges between leader and follower† (Day and Antonakis, 2012). 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