Revolutionary Voice

Following the brutal and increasingly controversial execution of Saddam Husein in Iraq last week, many have debated over “Corporal Punishment” or physical punishment, as flogging, inflicted on the body of one convicted of a crime.

Italy, specifically, has proposed a global ban on execution to the UN. In the past, they have unsuccessfully had similar talks in 1994 and again a year later. According to BBC, “The leader of the current centre-left coalition [Prime Minister Romano Prodi] has said no crime can justify one person killing another.”

Now I don’t completely understand how Italy will try to even propose this ban for the third time, not to its own Italian people, but worldwide. Each nation and states within most nations have the right to their own government, therefore managing their own laws. The United States for example, will be against this proposal to a high extreme, not only because they are responsible for a big chuck of Saddam’s execution, but also because many states have the death penalty. These states strongly defend their right to have their own state laws without federal interference.

First of all, a global ban on execution is completely impossible due to the many nations, rogue or not, in the world that will be opposed because it effects their leadership, culture, religious beliefs, etc. Maybe Italy is trying to get a ban for UN nations, which would seem more possible, but still way out of reach. It is just like saying the UN is federal law, and all the countries under the UN are federally governed states. There will be much opposition, needless to say.

More from BBC:
“The Iraqi government has said that Italy has no right to criticise Saddam Hussein’s execution when, at the end of World War II, the fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, was killed by partisans and left hanging by his feet in a Milan square to the derision of crowds.

Mussolini’s granddaughter, Alessandra, a right-wing MP, joined in the argument, saying she found the killing of Saddam Hussein disgusting and shameful.”