Fall of a dictator, failure of ethics

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7431.115

BMJ 2004;328:115 (10 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7431.115

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PERSONAL VIEW

Fall of a dictator, failure of ethics

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The capture of Saddam Hussein brought us both relief and hopethat things would improve for Iraqis. However, the initial televisedpictures after his capture were disturbing as they depictedviolations of international law and medical ethics. That todaywe rarely hear voices of protest against such violations raisesquestions about our moral compass in these times of continuedconflict.

How the mighty have fallen...but even a dictator has rights that Saddam was denied

Credit:APTN/AP PHOTO

During the weeks of major military operations, the televiseddisplay of three captive American soldiers by Saddam's propagandamachine quite rightly drew protests as a violation of the GenevaConvention. The soldiers, stripped of their freedom and scaredalmost to death by a ruthless regime, were not in a positionto consent to be photographed. Their display for propagandareasons therefore violated their rights as prisoners of war.

Six months later the . . . [Full text of this article]

Samer Jabbour, assistant professor

Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon sjabbour@aub.edu.lb

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The Interests of the Iraqi People Should Come Before the Rights of a Dictator: Riadh T Abed
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Jabbour is a disgrace to Arab medical ethics: Riadh T. Abed
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Shame on Dr Carnall: Richard Watson
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Fall of Tyrant but no fall of ethics.: Farid Munim
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