Should we have handed over Saddam and should he have a trial?

He's a monster, Im all for a jury of your peers, and all that jazz. But he isnt a US citizen, hes an admitted killer, he WAS a crazed dictator. We had him and we gave him up. I could have saved the world time and money. All it would have cost anyone was one bullet and five minutes. I think we should have knocked him off when we had him, but now I BET he gets off with a slap on the wrist. And in my book a life sentence is a slap on the wrist.

yes we should have handed him and yes he deserves a fair trial.

remember one of the main reasons for going to Iraq was to introduce democracy to the country...so it's only right that we practice what we preach.

No matter what he did, he deserves a fair trial. I know he never did that for his victims, but if Iraq is serious on becoming a democracy, he needs to have a fair trial.

Worldwatcher, Infinite, I agree. A fair trial is a universal right, not a privilege to be arbitrarily bestowed and removed. If only someone could remind the Bush junta that the same applies to the people chained up in Guantanamo Bay...

Moreover, I think that the "civilised" west should lodge an official objection with the Iraqi government regarding the possible invocation of the death penalty. You don't punish a barbaric act by committing a barbaric act. A life sentance may be considered a "slap on the wrist" by some, but it's the harshest punishment we can, in good conscience, impose.

While I do also agree that a fair trial is his right and a responsibility of the US, I think it may tarnish the reputation of his DA...I forget his name, but I know he has a history of standing up for people who have no verdict but guilty written in their stars...either that, or he'll write a book about his trial and become another famous man with dirty hands.

Maybe that is an unfair statement tho - I should do some research on the guy before I say that I guess - I just don't see how you can spend your entire career defending people you know for a fact are guilty?!

If he is given the death penalty he will die a martyr. That is what he wants, the last thing he would want is to sit in prison every day for the rest of his life.

Maybe you are correct, I posted this question because I wasnt sure what I thought myself. I think putting him in a cell will be better than creating another martyr. Thanks for everyone input.