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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend December 31, 2006 Locally, justification, unease ... and humor By chris conrad Mail Tribune Moments after Saddam Hussein's life came to a sudden halt at the end of a rope in a large, dark room in Baghdad, a group of people gathered Friday night outside Joe's Sports Bar & Grill in Medford to share the news. Ken Conley was on his way to the Grandview Market when he encountered the small crowd. "Everyone seemed pretty excited about it," Conley said. "There were already Saddam Hussein jokes going around." Conley was able to recall a pretty good one — considering the dictator's body was probably still warm when it began circulating — told to him by someone outside the bar. The humor was leavened with a concern that the execution is just another scene in the increasingly confusing situation the U.S. has found itself in since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Advertisement Possible repercussions for U.S. troops were discussed. "There was some concern about what Saddam's Baath party is going to do," Conley said. The response was varied across the Rogue Valley. No one seemed like they were going to loose much sleep over Hussein's demise, though they didn't seem to find much worth celebrating. Randy Jesse, 52, a former Marine living in Grants Pass, described his conflicted feelings over the event. He supported using the military to depose the tyrant, but the escalating violence — December was the bloodiest month yet for U.S. troops with 106 killed so far along with many more Iraqi citizens — and lack of a clear direction. "(Saddam's execution) is not going to accomplish anything," Jesse said. "Yeah, he's dead, so what, big deal. Our people should not be there." Conley echoed Gerald Ford's recent comments that the war machine had derailed and the country has little to gain from a continued presence in Iraq. "I am relieved he's finally gone, maybe (Iraq) can move on," he said. "But he was just a minor player in what's going on." Ashland peace activist Sue Graham, a Peace House board member and outreach coordinator for Beyond War, a group that promotes nonviolent resolutions to conflict, questioned the morality behind the hanging. "Who's playing God here?" she asked. "I think it's terribly sad that we should take anyone's life for any reason. I don't see the justification for saying who we can and can't kill." But for some, including Detective Sgt. Colin Fagan of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, the swift justice Hussein met a mere two months after his conviction for the massacre of 148 people in the town of Dujail in 1982 was surprising. "When we convict someone (in the U.S.) it takes more than two months for them to even go to jail," Fagan said. Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com