With you on that Jack. I would find it hard to get much pleasure watching old men in their 80s and 90s being put to death, but at the same time, it bothers me that such men on their death beds can think to themselves, I got away with it. At any age, they should be held to account for their actions.
Not wanting to dwell too much on the Nazi holocaust, I have to say, for me it kind of validates the song to me now knowing it was inspired by JS watching a documentary on Claus Barbie. While being responsible for around 14,000 deaths, which would have been a relatively small tally for SS commanders in the east, the Butcher of Lyon was an active sadist who took great pleasure in his work, not just passing on the orders, but getting involved with the torture, not just of the Jewish, but also the French in his prison system. What was more surprising, after the war, the Americans who recognized his abilities in seeking out groups of people employed him for anti-Communist work, and gave him full protection. I seem to remember reading somewhere that after he emigrated to Bolivia, it is suspected he may have been involved with the Americans in the capture of Che Guevara, as part of continued anti- communist activity in South America. Understandably, when the French found out where he was, they wanted him. It took many years to get him back to France, a man who was indeed protected by money and powerful friends.
