Iraq needs a system of justice. Iraq needs a government that both sides can trust. There is a method used in the past to allow the accused to face accusers. The accused was under duress but while he had time, he was able to shout out his innocence or vent his hatred and curse the accusers.

In most cases the accused was facing sure death. The accusers could curse, throw stones or spit on the accused. This was crucifixion. Death could come relatively slowly and painless to terribly painful and short.

Three crosses in big villages were utilized weekly. One’s arms could be tied to a cross with soft ropes along with a pedestal for the feet. The arms could be extended upwards. The knees could be bent to allow assist in raising the body upwards for each breath. In the other extreme, the body was placed on the cross with square nails driven at the junction of hands and wrists. The feet were attached with one square nail. The arms and knees were extended to give minimal assist in breathing. A crown of thorns and whip stings across the back would inflict additional pain as the body tried to move upwards and then downward on the cross in order to breath.

At the end of the day judges of sorts, while listening to the banter, could either order the prisoner freed or have his legs broken so he died shortly for lack of breath. The terribly afflicted would have died much earlier for lack of breath. The lack of movement at all was visible proof of death.

William T. Comiskey

Port Neches