Did it help?

Saddam Hussein was hanged on the 30th of December '06, the question that has plagued many concerns not simply that he was executed but also that it appears to have worsened the conditions in Iraq.
Saddam Hussein's death became predictable during his trial, during which the judges were exchanged if to sympathetic. Further a more important question was not addressed in fact it was mostly ignored. What does it mean for us as human beings if we start killing people to atone for deaths? Can one death really atone for other deaths or is that simply revenge which only hurts any peace?
The argument for Hussein's death sentence was that he committed crimes against humanity and for that he would have to die. It is doubtful that the families of the dead really feel any better now that Saddam is dead further such a death made him for certain circles a martyr. Also is it not a crime against humanity to kill someone, and as such wouldn't the hanging of Saddam be a crime against humanity.
It is undeniable that he did bad things and had to be punished but would life imprisonment not be better? Then again there is of course the group that argues that life imprisonment is even less humane then killing someone as punishment since that person then would literally have to rod away in cell instead of being allowed to depart this person would have to wait for many many years to be released....by death.
But can killing another being be justified not considering the possible crime that could have been committed, can we truly justify killing anyone?
The going theory was that two things would happen in Iraq after the hanging of Hussein, one was that the people would stop rebelling and would become 'good law-abiding subject' or the other was that they would see Hussein as martyr and for that would become very unsettled and begin a more extensive campaign against the 'western aggressor'. Until now neither has really taken place, the situation in Iraq seems to have remained in a state of civil war which did not escalade any further. But then again that war seem to be far from over.