Most are inclined to agree that it is well that Saddam Hussein, the atrocious Butcher of Baghdad, has been executed, following a thorough trial for torture, violence, murder and crimes against humanity.

But cell-phone footage of some of the more grisly proceedings in connection with the execution has prompted criticism and concern. Naturally, America is being hailed as a villain, again, and the leaked video is being used to further decimate our reputation and the security of our citizens.

People dedicated to branding Uncle Sam as The Great Satan will pay no attention to this evaluation, but the Dallas Morning News makes some important points about the proceedings:

” : it’s a significant milestone that an Iraqi court convicted and sentenced Hussein – not an American court or an international court, where legitimacy might have been called into question. A courageous Iraqi court heard volumes of emotional testimony against the former Iraqi dictator and persevered in the face of assassinations of lawyers and judges. The taunting at the gallows (by Iraqi sources) doesn’t diminish his guilt or obscure the fact that Hussein had his day in court.”

Anti-American sources will not let such facts spoil their crusades to brand us as the criminals in this case, but it is well for reasonable people to reconsider why events unfolded as they did.