Britain says Saddam 'held to account'
By Paula White,WNS UK Senior Correspondent
LONDON - Britain said Saddam Hussein had been "held to account" but reiterated its opposition to the use of the death penalty following the execution of the former Iraqi dictator on Saturday. "I welcome the fact that Saddam Hussein has been tried by an Iraqi court for at least some of the appalling crimes he committed against the Iraqi people," said Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett. "He has now been held to account," she said in a statement. Saddam, 69, was hung to death on Saturday in Baghdad for crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 men and boys in the Shiite village of Dujail in 1982 after an attempt was made there to assassinate him. A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Tony Blair's Downing Street office told AFP that Beckett "spoke for the whole government" and Blair would reflect her comments. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said they would be keeping a "mindful eye" on a potential backlash against Britain's 7,100 troops stationed in southern Iraq around the second city of Basra in the wake of the execution. Britain was the United States' staunchest ally in the invasion of Iraq it led in March 2003, which led to the toppling of Saddam. Beckett said: "
The British government does not support the use of the death penalty, in Iraq or anywhere else. We advocate an end to the death penalty worldwide, regardless of the individual or the crime. "We have made our position very clear to the Iraqi authorities, but we respect their decision as that of a sovereign nation. "Iraq continues to face huge challenges. But now it has a democratically-elected government which represents all communities and is committed to fostering reconciliation. "We will continue to work with this government and with the Iraqi people to build security and prosperity for the future." The MoD said it had not put any specific precautions in place in preparation for action against British soldiers but said security would be monitored. "We will be keeping a mindful eye on any goings-on in Iraq," said a spokesman.
posted by wnsworld @ 9:44 AM
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