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Saudi Arabia may stop public beheadings


Still Waters

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Saudi Arabia is considering dropping public beheadings as a method of execution because of a shortage of government swordsmen in the oil-rich kingdom.

A joint Saudi committee composed of representatives of the ministries of interior, justice and health has instead proposed firing squads for capital sentences.

The committee argued that the measure, if adopted, would not violate Islamic law, allowing heads - or emirs - of the country's 13 local administrative regions to begin using the new method when needed.

http://www.dailymail...-swordsmen.html

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Well, isn't that nice of them.... :whistle:

Edited by pallidin
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In Midaeval Europe it was the privledge of the aristocracy to be beheded. Ordinary people were hung. I guess it's quicker and less choking, but the real pain is the mental pain leading up to it. Needless to say one was careful to give the headsman a good tip so he would do a clean job of it.

My thinking about capital punishment has evolved from supporting its limited use to deciding it is counterproductive and barbaric to a somewhat middle position of saying that a few who have been convicted in proper courts of capital offenses might be ordered executed by the Head of Government of a state (so as to allow really heinous offenses to bring about this result without all the bureacratic mess that happens nowadays).

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A method of execution that does not mutilate the body is preferred, out of respect for family. I don't think the executed much cares.

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'Tis comforting to know we have some nice, civilized 'allies' in the fight against those barbaric terrorists.

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Love the fact that if this was Afghanistan or somewhere the media dislikes for their war mongering agenda his story would be made out to be worse and there would be a bigger commotion.

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I'm still allowed to stone people to death though.. right!!

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Public execution has absolutely nothing to do with punishment IMO, and everything to do with maintaining control. the more barbaric the method the more fear can be instilled

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Fear works on most people, but the typical criminal rationalizes and persuades himself he can get away with it. For this reason gruesome public executions have never been an effective deterrent.

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Fear works on most people, but the typical criminal rationalizes and persuades himself he can get away with it. For this reason gruesome public executions have never been an effective deterrent.

Then why have them in public..its not needed to punish a crime, unless the spectacle is for the public to witness, as for it being an effective deterrent I don't think I mentioned it being effective, only that being their purpose.

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People realize such things are a deterrent to them, and so assume it will deter everyone else. Common fallacy.

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I think if I had to be executed I'd prefer beheading with a sword. I saw a movie about a commando group of Brits, Kiwis and Aussies (I think) that were inserted into a harbor in WWII, sank some vessels at anchor, escaped and tried it again a few months later but were caught. They were held until just a few weeks before the war ended then were executed by the Japanese. They reportedly were horrified by the idea of beheading and asked fervently to be killed by firing squad. The Japanese thought they were honoring them to give them a Samurai's death. Beheading done correctly is probably the most "humane" execution method available.

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I dunno; I'd like to keep my head on my body. Just seems more tidy. Also, headless ghosts seem a huge inconvenience.

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Beheading done correctly is probably the most "humane" execution method available.

How about 'Death by sawing'? (lol)

"The term "death by sawing" indicates the act of sawing a living person in half, either longitudinally, or transversely, through the central body mass...."

http://en.wikipedia....Death_by_sawing

Edited by Eldorado
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How about 'Death by sawing'? (lol)

"The term "death by sawing" indicates the act of sawing a living person in half, either longitudinally, or transversely, through the central body mass...."

http://en.wikipedia....Death_by_sawing

Ouch! Unfortunately, I think it's a pretty good description of what Nick Berg went through. Nope...I'll stick to the one, clean, quick stroke...
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I prefer to hold on to it, my head that is, it seems such a harsh punishment for apostasy, adultery or even some drug offenses or as highlighted above...being a westerner

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It's interesting. The company I work for has me going practically everywhere, although with my English mainily to the States. The one place we never go is to the Middle East or North Africa or similar countries. It isn't that they don't have the money, but we are just not interested in doing business with them.

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I think if I had to be executed I'd prefer beheading with a sword. I saw a movie about a commando group of Brits, Kiwis and Aussies (I think) that were inserted into a harbor in WWII, sank some vessels at anchor, escaped and tried it again a few months later but were caught. They were held until just a few weeks before the war ended then were executed by the Japanese. They reportedly were horrified by the idea of beheading and asked fervently to be killed by firing squad. The Japanese thought they were honoring them to give them a Samurai's death. Beheading done correctly is probably the most "humane" execution method available.

I don't know about that - there's still too much unknown about how long the head lives after its severed. I really don't want my final seconds on the Earth to be staring at my headless corpse. Plus, it's very easy to screw it up.

If I had a choice, I think a half dozen or so 30-.06 rounds to head would do the job nicely.

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If I had a choice, I think a half dozen or so 30-.06 rounds to head would do the job nicely.

If I had a choice it would be 'smothered by boobies'. :)

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When I was watching the first episode of the mini-Series "Vikings", and the Jarl asked the condemned man how he wanted to die - my immediate response was "Old Age"...

But I am glad the Saudi's are looking at doing away with beheadings (hopefully not just public ones)... Hey! Before you know it they'll move right into the 10th century!

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This is funny. You read the headline and think, Wow, Suadi Arabia is really starting to move into the 21st century, and then you read the story and it's because they don't have enough swordsmen. DOH!

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I wonder if on Saudi forums they post news topics from the UK and discuss them like we do here:

News report: “Woman demanded an answer after allegations towards a Male MP on Question Time hosted by David Dimbleby.”

Poster: "What the hell is wrong with that country, she should be dragged out into the street, whipped, tar and feathered, stoned twice, crucified and then stoned again for a crime like that".

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  • 3 weeks later...

LOL at them and their rules...

Unless you are there and they have power over you. THEN it would be a horrifying place to be. It's almost unimaginable that people still do such things to the weak.
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