Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 7, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A16 world Winnipeg free press tuesday november 7, 2006 Saddam Hussein Blair opposes death penalty puts him at Odds with Bush a View by Beth Gardiner l Ondon ? Tony Blair said Mon Day he opposes the death penalty for Saddam Hussein making a reluctant admission that on this Issue the British prime minister stands by colleagues in the european Union and not with his american allies. But eur opposition to the sentence seems to be More a reaffirmation of principles than a serious Challenge that could affect the imposition of the sen tence. Reporters at Blair a monthly news con Ference had to press him hard to elicit an acknowledgement that his Long stand ing opposition to capital punishment also applied to the deposed dictator. Every time he mentioned his disapproval of the punishment he added a lengthy condemnation of Saddam a brutality and he made it Clear he did not intend any protest of the sentence. There Are other and bigger issues to talk about he said. The trial of sad dam gives us a Chance to see again what the past in Iraq was the brutality the tyranny the hundreds of thousands of people he killed the wars in which there were a million nonetheless Blair a stance puts him at Odds with . President George w. Bush who praised the death sentence sunday As a Milestone in the iraqi peo Ples efforts to replace the Rule of a tyrant with the Rule of Blair a View was widely shared by european leaders Many of whom noted their opposition to capital punishment but welcomed Saddam a trial and conviction As did the prime ministers of Australia and new zealand. The us 25 governments Are strongly opposed to the death penalty and have often appealed to foreign governments on behalf of europeans facing execution abroad. Any country hoping to join the bloc must abolish capital punishment. When Turkey eliminated the death penalty in 2002, it was seen As a big Victory for Europe a ability to influence potential members. European leaders said the heinous Ness of Saddam a crimes did not change their View that state sponsored killing was wrong. Several warned that putting the former Leader to death could Worsen Sec tarian tensions and Lead to More blood shed in Iraq. Martyr a country ravaged by violence and death does not need More violence and especially not a state orchestrated exe cution said Terry Davis Secretary Gen eral of the Council of Europe a parliamentary Assembly. Saddam Hus Sein is a criminal and should not be allowed to become a italian Premier Romano Prodi said the guilty verdict mirrored the world Community a judgment about Saddam but emphasized Rome a opposition to Capi Tal punishment. Italy is against the death penalty and so even in such a dramatic Case As sad dam Hussein we still think that the death penalty must not be put into action he said after meeting Blair in London. Pope Benedicts top Cardinal said in a radio address that killing the former iraqi Leader was against Christian teach ing. God gave us life and Only god can take it away Renato Cardinal Martino said on Vatican radio adding that had Saddam been put in the hands of an International court he would not have faced the death penalty. Meanwhile a round the clock curfew imposed in the capital ahead of Saddam Hussein a conviction eased monday with residents once More allowed to walk the streets and sidewalks. Around the coun try jubilant shiites celebrated the ver dict As sunnis held defiant counter demonstrations. Iraq a appeals court was expected to Rule on the verdict and sentence by mid january the chief prosecutor said Mon Day. Should the court uphold the death penalty the associated press has Learned that Iraq a three Man presiden tial Council agreed previously not to Block Saddam a hanging which must be carried out within 30 Days. The surge in violence expected immediately after the sunday verdict on sad dams trial for crimes against humanity did not materialize. An Interior ministry spokesman credited the round the clock curfew in Baghdad which has a mixed shiite sunni population and two restive sunni provinces. Checkpoints were closed along Iraq a Border with Jordan and Syria a Standard precaution taken during Domestic emergencies ;