´óÏó´«Ã½

Hitchens would not describe himself as a conservative... he is traditionally left-wing, so his opposition to the death penalty should not be surprising. I like Hitchens, though, which is the principal thing that separates him from most leftists. :-)

I think Republicans, Democrats, Communists should get life imprisonment for damaging the world during the Cold War. I would like to have them punished by having them sit in a room locked from the outside and watch Borat 24 Hours a Day.

The pope is opposed to capital punishment. You wouldnt call him a liberal leftist John!

I think it's interesting that a strident supporter of the disastrous iraq war who was so keen to kill saddam's troops is not prepared to see saddam himself executed. Am i the only one having trouble making sense of that logic?

The court responsible for the trail of Saddam Hussein is nothing but an American and British convention to satisfy American egos rather than providing a logical legal process which is independent in its totality without interference, it fails to meet full international scrutiny and has no mandate from the UN, the trail should have been carried out in a neutral country under the auspices of neutral legal jurisdiction with a UN mandate rather than being influenced by American financed interference. The death penalty handed down by this court does nothing for legal accuracy and fairness.

Helen- My point was that "gung-ho" Hitchens is not traditionally conservative and would not have agreed with Bush on most other issues. It isn't that amazing, therefore, that he'd be against the death penalty.

And I don't see how arguing for the necessity of a war means you can't also be against the death penalty as a form of criminal justice for someone in custody. I see no fault in that logic whatever.

William

I always find it curious how liberals can be so vehemently opposed to the death penalaty for evil monsters but so ardently supportive of killing innocent people before they are born.

Stange, isn't it?

PB

Pb ... u dont seem able to understand hitchens logic.

its possible to defend war in some cases but argue against cap punishment

and its possible to be pro-choice and anti-war

or pro choice and anti capital punishment

all are logical positions

Hi Sam

I am not discussing Hitchens' logic, I have not read his article.

And I am not discussing war at all.

I am purely discussing the inconsistent position liberals seem to have in that they oppose the death penality for evil monsters while supporting the killing of innocent unborn people.

Could you please explain to me how holding these two positions at the same time is logical, preferably in a manner which gives some recognition to the humanity of the unborn?

cheers
PB