Yes, it's the end of the year and your choice is "2006 - A year in review", "2007 - What happens next?" and "Saddam Hussein - Dead and loving it!" So why not a bit of all three?

Yes, 2006 will be the year of Saddam Hussein's execution (during Eid-al-Adha at that too). It's a handy way to close the year and gives everyone something to talk about other than the latest Republican scandal in the US and Labour cock-up in the UK. A whole year of scandal forgotten in the annual recaps and it only cost a mean man his life, well, at least it saved the careers of a few weaselly politicians.

Saddam's execution is a bizarre one to argue against, probably because it's so easy to fall into lazy arguments when the general topic of the death penalty comes up; namely the number of times they get it wrong. Much as I oppose it on so many levels I also accept that it's a debate rarely worth having due to people's convictions, so when pushed I normally just wimp out and plump for the fallibility argument and try to move on, but realistically we all know Saddam was behind some nasty happenings (even though this trial only covered a small portion of them - whatever happened to keeping someone alive until they had been tried for eerything?) So if Saddam was guilty what's the argument against his execution? Well the trial was obviously a sham, but we also know that a legitimate trial would've found him guilty of something too; complaining about the puppets and their masters is a bit redundant given that.

There's the whole fact that killing is pretty pointless in the long run, that's a pretty good argument. Sure, we could hash over an eye for an eye leaving everyone blind, and people with no regard for human life deserving their life being treated with similar contempt but that's all been done before and never got us anywhere. Statistics can be used to prove anything and capital punishment is a favourite target, and the debates are pointless enough when it comes to rape and murder, but genocide? Yeah, I can see it now; some wannabe dictator is sitting in a dank, run down building right now coming to the conclusion that a ruthless coup to mobilise the forces of his country in a war against all the neighbouring countries and bringing censure from the UN and global armies turning up at his doorstep just isn't worth the risk now he might get sentenced to death in a courtroom.

No, the sad fact is that as precious as all human life is the best argument against the hanging of Saddam Hussein was, is, and probably always will be - we just made a martyr. Suicide bombers have nothing on this guy now - Saddam was killed in the most dishonourable and cowardly manner we infidels could manage. And don't try to sleep well pretending this is the Iraqi justice system (yes I'm looking at you Mr. Blair and Mrs. Beckett). We not only allowed the farce of a trial but we helped orchestrate it. The blood of thousands may be on Hussein's hands but rest assured his blood is on yours and I hope that it's still there after you've scrubbed the knuckles of history to the bone. I'm just waiting how long before it turns out the disgraceful video of his hanging was made by someone following instructions from either the UK or the US.

So now we leave 2006 behind. The suggestion that we've screwed it up far more than Hussein ever managed can be covered in the shambles of the execution. We can forget all about who was saying civil war and who was saying insurgency, all we need to remember is those heroes running our countries have kept us safe for another night. Hopefully. Well, you know. It's not like there will be large gatherings of people in public places tonight or anything. And nobody is likely to do anything stupid in the name of a martyr (not that Saddam is a martyr of course - that was justice, remember kids?) from a culture where suicide bombers can hold their heads high. Oh no. Safest New Year in centuries tonight.

And that's my prediction for 2007 too. I know, you're all shocked that someone could go out on a limb and suggest the Middle East will actually be even more dangerous next year but I'm doing it. Saddam's death may just be the amount of interference we needed to really claim we've completely screwed the place over. Go us! Our wonderful leaders will probably try to screw us over a lot more too; they can't help it, it's just become habit the past few years with all the lies and civil liberties we let them take. In the words of Saddam Hussein:

When the insignificant people use the power given to them by the foreigners to oppress their own people, they are but worthless and lowly.

Aah, how truly depressing when such a brutal dictator can describe our government so well. Since I'm in a quoting mood, I pass the closing comment to the Prime Minister of Italy, Romano Prodi:

Italy is against the death penalty and so even in such a dramatic case as Saddam Hussein, we still think that the death penalty must not be put into action."