Past Present Future Politics on Trial: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein
Jan 21, 2026
In a compelling discussion, historian Glen Rangwala delves into the intricacies of Saddam Hussein's trial and execution. He reveals the early U.S. plans for Saddam and the decision-making process behind the charges brought against him. Rangwala critiques how the trial became a tool for U.S. interests rather than a quest for justice, examining its impact on Iraq's sectarian tensions. He also highlights the competing narratives of victimhood among different Iraqi groups, shedding light on the complexities of accountability in post-Saddam Iraq.
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Prewar Plans For Prosecutions
- The US planned for trials of regime members well before 2003 and prepared dossiers for prosecutions.
- A transitional-justice infrastructure of exiles and files shaped expectations of post-regime accountability.
Rationale Determines Venue
- Different war rationales pointed to different legal venues: US courts, international tribunals, or Iraqi courts.
- By 2003 political realities made an Iraqi trial the likeliest and fastest path, including possibility of death penalty.
International Courts Were Impractical
- International tribunals were slow and unlikely to apply the death penalty, conflicting with US desires for quicker, decisive outcomes.
- That practical mismatch pushed policymakers toward domestic Iraqi prosecution.