Did Saddam fit into your personal definition of an 'evil' person

[The Straight Story]

Poll question: Did Saddam fit into your personal definition of an 'evil' person

I am sure others may or may not as well of course. But this is just about one person.

It does not endorse his death, nor excuse it.

But based on your own personal definition of evil - did Saddam fit into it?

In fairness, my take on the whole ordeal is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3002481

[babylonsister]

1. ...

Please take the time to read some of this. It's proof.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engMDE140082001!Open

[The Straight Story]

2. I for one don't doubt he was a bad guy :) (nt)

[babylonsister]

5. I know. I threw it out there for anyone that might have had no idea. nt

[aquart]

3. What he did to his sons-in-law?

That was something I could hear the dead of ancient Babylon applauding. Definitely evil for this day and age.

[tcfrogs]

4. Absolutely yes n/t

[Imagevision]

6. Question: who supplied Saddam with the chemicals to gas the people?

anyone know?

[The Straight Story]

8. Question

Who used them?

I have a gun, with bullets. But I have not used them.

[babylonsister]

12. The US did, and more. Check this out:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x3000327

[4nic8em]

7. At this point

in time regarding our "War on terror", I consider Saddam just a bit more evil than chimpster. Acutally it's really to close to know for sure.

[Vidar]

9. Yes, he was evil. However, he had a stabilizing influence over Iraq

& the Middle East (Think "balance of power"), particularly when compared to the current chaos.

[noamnety]

10. I want a less black and white choice

I don't know how to classify a mass murderer who also wins awards from UNESCO for his universal public health programs, who provides universal free schooling including higher education, and was a champion of women's rights in a region that was NOT known for such things. Completely ruthless if you weren't loyal to him, but otherwise (there's a heck of a qualifier) provided for the lowest citizen in Iraq FAR better than we do in this country.

The linear scale isn't working for me, I'm at a loss.

[The Straight Story]

11. Even an evil person can do good

I guess it depends on which things that person did that we examine which defines how we view things.

Does the good outweigh the bad?

Would you want Saddam as your dictator?

[noamnety]

13. That's why I need a nonlinear scale

It depends which things we examine. That's exactly the problem.

If I'm a healthy financially secure white man in America, no, I don't want Saddam as my dictator. I'll keep Dubya, so I can hang onto my freedom of speech without getting my ass shot off.

If I'm a poor black woman with medical problems in New Orleans and a hurricane hits, I'd rather take my chances with Saddam than with Bush.

Someone with cancer and no health insurance is better off with Saddam the dictator. A woman in a neighboring country would likely have been better off with Saddam.

There are so many layers of privilege wrapped up in examining whether a "dictator" who believes in social services is better or worse than a democratically elected capitalist, I just don't have a way to rank them into neat little categories for you.

[4nic8em]

14. Defintely not...

But I'm particularly thrilled with the actions of my current dictator either.

[Raine]

15. Yes nt