On July 22, US forces in Iraq reported that they had killed Uday and Qusay Saddam Hussein, sons of Iraqi President Hussein. Two other Iraqis were killed in the six-hour shootout at the  Mosul  home of someone thought to be a Hussein relative. One Iraqi civilian was killed under suspicious circumstances outside the home; CNN reported that he was caught in a crossfire, but Iraqi sources told Arab news media that the Iraqi was protesting against the storming of the  Mosul  home and was shot dead by US forces.

- Iraqis Still Skeptical Over “Killing” of Saddam Sons

North American media could not contain their glee as they announced “a giant victory in the war against terrorism.” Iraq “experts” predicted that this would quell Iraqi resistance. Their words couldn’t have proven more dire; 14 US military servicemen where killed in  Mosul  within five days of the killing of Uday and Qusay. 

A few journalists working in Iraq cautioned that while the killings of the two Hussein sons were a blow to Saddam himself, it was unlikely to affect Iraqi resistance. (Hussein himself broadcasted an audio tape in which he praised his sons for their “martyrdom” and urged other Iraqis to fight to the end.) Analysts and terrorism experts argued on popular news talk shows, but in the midst of all the ranting the voice of Iraqis was deafened, locked out of the debate.

Most Iraqis and Arabs seem to agree on one thing, however – the US erred in killing the Hussein brothers. The Hussein brothers should have been apprehended, jailed, and put on trial by Iraqis.

“Yes, they were criminals, yes they killed our people, but they were Iraqis nonetheless, and they should have answered to other Iraqis for their crimes,” said one disgruntled Iraqi dissident who identified himself only as Abu Kadhim.

No one who has ever lived or visited Iraq will dispute the fact that the Hussein brothers were fierce, ruthless, merciless, and vindictive. Nor will they dispute the fact that Uday Hussein, who as a child had been forced to watch executions of his father’s political opponents, had the reputation of a maniacal rapist, murderer, and sadist.

Qusay Hussein, on the other hand, removed himself from the limelight but is said to have had a flair for killing anti-Saddam elements. He was known to be swift and deadly.

Both have significant amounts of Iraqi blood on their hands.

Will Iraqis mourn the death of the two? Here’s the shocker – yes, very few will. However, many more will be relieved to know that two icons of brutality have been done away with.

Nevertheless, while Iraqis may feel relief that former echelons of the Saddam regime are no longer a threat, every single Iraqi I have spoken with in the past three days has expressed a deep loathing, resentment, and outright rejection of how US troops conducted themselves in killing Uday and Qusay. This leads to a long list of US blundering:

1)  The  US had no right to kill either Uday or Qusay. Both committed crimes against the Iraqi people and plundered national wealth. As such their crimes were not against the US and therefore it is illegal, as seen through Iraqi eyes, that the US dispenses justice. By killing the Hussein brothers, the US has effectively bulldozed over Iraqi grievances and calls for justice. This leads the Iraqis to understand that the US does what it wills, that its presence in Iraq has little to nothing to do with justice and freedom for the Iraqi people. Iraqis wanted to bring Uday and Qusay to trial to face the memories of thousands of their Iraqi Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurdish victims.

2)  On Larry King Live, Iraq ’s US Civilian Administrator Paul Bremer told millions of viewers that “we are effectively the only sovereign power in Iraq ”. This will not bode well for Iraqis, the Iraqi Governing Council, or Arabs in the region. It translates into one word: occupation.

3)  The reports that Uday, Qusay, a bodyguard and supposed Qusay’s son, Mustafa died while fighting to the last breath will not go down well with Iraqis. In fact, rather than demoralize Iraqi resistance, it will light up the powder keg that is already brewing. US military sources said that 14-year old Mustafa fought on and wounded several US soldiers even after everyone else in the house was killed. Reports that the operation required 200 US soldiers and 20 missiles fired into the house to bring down four Iraqis armed with machine guns will also likely embolden Iraqi resistance. On July 24, the Arabiya news network broadcasted a video from a group calling itself the Iraqi Fedayeen of Anbar Province who admitted that Uday and Qusay were killed but vowed to intensify their attacks on US troops and send more of them back in body bags.

4)   US forces had no alternative but to publish the pictures of Uday and Qusay in the hopes of convincing a highly sceptical Iraqi and Arab population of their demise. However, this puts the US in an untenable situation: According to the Qur’an, the bodies of the dead, whether Muslim or otherwise, guilty or innocent, cannot be put on display, cannot be handled inappropriately, and cannot be brandished as proof or trophies of victory. The Muslim world has been watching carefully to see what the US government has been doing with the bodies.

The longer Iraqis are kept away from administering to themselves, governing themselves, and setting up their own judicial and criminal justice system, the US will continue to alienate itself from a population it promised to liberate

Firas Al-Atraqchi holds an MA in Journalism and Mass Communication. He is a Canadian journalist with eleven years of experience covering Middle East issues, oil and gas markets, and the telecom industry. You can reach him at firas6544@rogers.com.