Claim: The 1969 Baghdad hangings led to international criticism, with the United States Secretary of State condemning Iraq's actions but by contrast, the Soviet Union's official radio called the executions "fully justified".
Evidence: The executions led to significant international criticism, with United States Secretary of State William P. Rogers condemning Iraq's actions as "repugnant to the conscience of the world" and Egypt's Al-Ahram cautioning: "The hanging of fourteen people in the public square is certainly not a heart-warming sight, nor is it the occasion for organizing a spectacle." By contrast, the Soviet Union's official radio called the executions "fully justified," while Charles de Gaulle of France said they could not be divorced from the broader Arab–Israeli conflict.