[jambutty]

Sadly bullsyebarb other victims will not get the opportunity to testify on their own behalf because you cannot try a dead person. The best that could happen would be the Iraqi equivalent of a judicial review if they have such a thing. The Saddam chapter is legally and officially closed although the Sunni fanatics will attempt to keep it open.

Hanging when done by a true professional (like Albert Pierrepoint) Cyfr is quick and humane when compared to some of the botched attempts at electrocution, gas chamber and even lethal injection. The cruellest method is what happens to a PVS patient when the court has ruled to allow them to die. The method – starvation - because the medical services stop feeding him/her and the patient is allowed to die from starvation. Now that is barbaric.

Have a look at http://www.richard.clark32.btinternet.co.uk/hangmen.html it makes fascinating reading.

No one was held to account for the Dresden bombings garinda because in case you have forgotten or not known, it was the Luftwaffe that started the civilian bombing of London, albeit in error. Of course by then the Germans had already bombed Polish, French, Belgium etc cities. They continued with blanket bombing of our cities and “Bomber” Harris was right to retaliate as he did.

In any case when a country goes to war it is the whole country (less any conscientious objectors who get imprisoned) and that means civilians. The only people exempt are children not of working age. I mean who makes the bombs and bullets? Who provides the food for the troops? Who provides clothing and the money to pay them? So targeting civilians during a legitimate war is, in my view, fair game. The civilians are the support ‘troops’ of the fighting men and women.