December 29, 2006

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe Saddam Hussein should be executed, according to a six-country poll by Harris Interactive for France 24 and Le Monde. 82 per cent of respondents in the U.S. support enforcing the death sentence on the deposed Iraqi leader.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States believe Saddam Hussein should be executed, according to a six-country poll by Harris Interactive for France 24 and Le Monde. 82 per cent of respondents in the U.S. support enforcing the death sentence on the deposed Iraqi leader.

Britain is second on the list with 69 per cent, followed by France with 58 per cent, Germany with 53 per cent, and Spain with 51 per cent. Italy, at 46 per cent, is the only nation surveyed where fewer than half of all respondents agree with Hussein's death sentence.

The coalition effort against Hussein's regime was launched in March 2003. At least 2,978 American soldiers have died during the military operation, and more than 22,500 troops have been wounded in action.

Hussein was captured by coalition soldiers in Adwar—near his hometown of Tikrit—in December 2003. In July 2004, the deposed Iraqi leader made his first court appearance to respond to seven war crimes charges, which included the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Hussein said the tribunal amounted to "a theatre."

In July 2005, the tribunal officially introduced specific charges against Hussein. The deposed leader was accused of assassinating Shiite men and expelling women and children from the northeastern Iraqi town of Dujail in 1982. The actions were regarded as retaliation for an attempt on Hussein's life organized by members of the Dawa Party.

On Nov. 5, Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. On Dec. 26, the Iraqi High Tribunal upheld the sentence, which must be carried out before Jan. 27, 2007.

The death penalty is allowed for specific crimes in 36 American states. Both the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe call for every member nation to have abolished capital punishment.

Polling Data

Support for enforcing Saddam Hussein's death sentence.

United States	82%
Britain	69%
France	58%
Germany	53%
Spain	51%
Italy	46%

Source: Harris Interactive / France 24 / Le Monde
Methodology: Online interviews with 12,570 adults in Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States, conducted from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9, 2006. Margin of error for individual countries is 3 per cent.