Don't Make Me Feel Sorry For Dictators

Woke this morning to see footage of Gaddafi's blood drenched face and hollow eyes as he was surrounded by a horde of baying revolutionary fighters. Gaddafi's hand shook as he gently touched his face. When he saw the blood on it, he held it up to one of his captives. It could have been a plea for help. Or an accusation of cruelty.

For a moment, I felt sorry for Gaddafi. I didn't want to. And I have no right to. But they made me. They presented a pitiful, helpless, old man.

I'm not being self-righteous or indignant. It's easy at this safe distance to be impassive. None of my relatives was tortured or killed. My kith and kin were not on Pan Am Flight 103 that came down over Lockerbie. I'm not Libyan. I've never had to live my life under the capricious cruelty of a dictator. There's no excuse for feeling the slightest bit sorry for him.

But those pictures...

I should put myself in the position of one of Gaddafi's captors. Most of them are not trained soldiers. They are mechanics, builders, farmers, shopkeepers pressed into battle by a need to remove this evil despot. They've watched people die for the cause, been terrified, seen their friend lose limbs and die of terrible wounds. They finally find the man.

Emotions overtake reason.

Even if they want to see justice done, even if they want to see this man have his crimes set before him in the Hague, they can't control their feelings. Add to that the collective hysteria of the mob and they have little choice.

That's why justice should never be meted out by those directly affected. Justice is impassive, else it's not justice at all. It's revenge, which by its very nature is primal, not civilized.

What is an appropriate end for murderous dictators who have been responsible for the deaths of  thousands of people? Mussolini's body was hanged from a lamp-post, Hitler killed himself. Personally, I would let them rot in a cell. But that's easy for me to say.

Whatever the answer, please don't make me feel sorry for them.