Khaddhafi - Death and Display

I had held off commenting on the nature of the death of the former Libyan strongman until some of the smoke had cleared and I had been able to see the videos several times.

Regardless of mine or anyone else's views on what type of treatment would be considered a serving of justice on him and those of his inner circle, it is clear that the manner in which he died was an example of abject barbarism.
Seeing the man dragged along, bloodied and injured was indeed a sickening sight. Even taking in to account his days of sponsoring terrorism and all who were killed and injured does not cause a Western thinker to look upon this with approval. This was an event that echoed earlier overthrows of those from Islamic dynasties like the Ummayads and others. The history of the rise and fall of Islamic rulers and their families is one of wholesale slaughter. I plan to treat that subject in a separate post in the future. The treatment of Osama Bin Ladin by US forces was methodical and done in the manner of a military strike but was well within the bounds of decency, up to and including his burial rites.

The West has only rarely experienced such barbarism. The display and abuse done to Mussolini's corpse and his associates is the only one that comes to mind at the moment. That Socialist/Fascist certainly deserved severe punishment for his actions, but a society lowers itself terribly in performing such acts. That event, though terrible and barbaric, stands out an an anomaly in the West.

If his overthrow was indeed the work of those who sought to liberate his nation from his brutal rule, I would expect to see the rebels overjoyed to take him alive. He could have been placed in custody and tried. a sentence of execution would have been expected, but that would have the credibility of the rule of law.
With pro-Khaddafhi forces decisively beaten and melted away, it does not seem likely that his supporters would have been inclined or able to mount any appreciable insurgency or rescue attempt on his behalf. If the interim government had been concerned with attacks by loyalists they would probably not put his body, his son's and that of the former army chief on display. As disgusting as that was it would have been likely to invite at least a bombing from his loyalists as an act of retribution. Libya appears to be headed towards a long period of regression, which would be pretty bad considering its current position.

I see this as the product of a culture that provides for cutting off of hands, stoning, and other acts that would belong to a ancient desert culture. Islam codifies acts such as these into the fabric of its society with no room for change. The text of the Koran and the Sunnah (Sayings of the prophet) makes whatever it says or whatever Mohammed said or did to be the ultimate example of right behavior up to the present day To even scratch the surface on our side we would have to go back to the enslavement of our enemies, seizure of their property, and exposing our deformed children immediately after birth. The West has had its moments of which we would not be proud, but it strives to improve while keeping the best of the past that made it what it is.