The brothers' bodies case

Pictures of the dead sons of the former Iraqi president were beamed around the world in a bid to show doubters and sceptics that Saddam's only heirs are forever gone. Millions of Arabs and Iraqis were tuning in to the major Arab networks breaking news of what became known as "the Brothers' Bodies".

But what happened later has become a legacy that may haunt the U.S. army in times of war. In their lives, they were feared and hated, now that they have been killed fighting U.S. troops, they are seen as martyrs by some, demons by others.

The graphic images and later videotapes released by the U.S. army in Baghdad as evidence of the death of Uday and Qusay Saddam Hussain sparked a debate in the Arab world and among Iraqis who were divided over the death of the brothers and the way U.S. troops displayed the corpses. Was it a calculated move to say to Iraqis that Saddam's end is near? Will it convince the fedayeen and supporters of the ousted regime of the futility of resistance?

The two brothers have dominated public life in Iraq for the last two decades with their lavish lifestyles, secrecy, and brutality. A record of their past practices has stunned readers and TV viewers across the world. But no one knows how far their posthumous legacy might endure. How will the military deal with their bodies? Will they be buried in secrecy? Will they enter the hall of remembrance, or simply fade into oblivion?

Displaying the brother's bodies to the media is seen by many as a departure from normal American practice. The U.S. has a long history of not displaying publicly pictures of those killed in military action.

When Arab television networks broadcast images of a dead American soldier during the war on Iraq, the Bush administration and the Pentagon were furious, and criticised those outlets for being disrespectful of the war laws established by the Geneva Convention. Will this departure open the door for future enemies to make public photos of dead U.S. personnel? Will the "Brothers' Bodies Case" be seen as an exception or become the law?

In its July 26 editorial titled "Uday and Qusay", the London based Asharq-Al-Awsat saw the decision to display the bodies as being motivated by a desire to "paralyse or halt the resistance operations against the coalition troops so that their stay in Iraq becomes smoother and easier. By so doing they commit a big mistake.

The common feeling among Iraqis, even the opponents of the former regime, is that the coalition troops should leave Iraq the sooner they can, and provide the legal, constitutional and secure platform to enable a democratically chosen government to undertake the task of managing the future of Iraq".

Providing graphic proof of the slain brothers was primarily meant to demoralise the remnants of the regime and dispel Iraqi sceptics. But it has also enraged Muslims who think the display offended Islamic customs. According to Islamic law, upon death the body should be immediately washed, shrouded and buried before nightfall.

But the sons of Saddam could not be killed and buried in silence for political and military reasons. The sons are thought to have conducted resistance after the fall of Baghdad. Their presence was endangering U.S. servicemen and presence in many ways.

The Bush administration is under attack for hyping up information with regard to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and failure to capture Saddam.

The killing of the brothers and the display of their bodies was orchestrated in a way to present it as a major turning point in American efforts to rebuild a nation from ashes and get rid of the elusive high ranking members of the ousted regime.

With some artistic touches and post mortem facial reconstructions, the brothers were laying down in a makeshift mortuary, no more breathing or exuding signs of power and might as they used to do in their glory days.

Cold, gashed and bruised, their journey ended at Baghdad Airport where they were shown to the world. They have tasted the sweetness of life, the pleasures of their youth, and brutalised a population. Prior to their death, they were on the run, outcast, and betrayed by their host. Their life and death was marked by extremes.

The writer is Senior Reporter, Abu Dhabi TV