Monday morning, the news of Saddam Hussein's capture was welcome news to Lawrence Countians.

Ironton resident Geraldine Saunders said she not only felt safer herself, but she also was relieved because her son-in-law is due to go to Iraq next month.

"I'm very tickled," she said.

Ironton residents Cindy Barnes and Krindy Shope were thrilled to see the capture. Both would be even happier if U.S. forces captured Osama Bin Laden as well. They had no mercy for Hussein.

"I don't think he deserves to live," Barnes said. "He's killed innocent troops. I think the death penalty should be brought back over there, and they should execute him."

"I think he should be tortured - slowly," Shope said.

Kitts Hill resident Bob Gibson was more than happy to do the job himself.

"I would take a baseball bat from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head. I would pay for my own damn plane ticket," he said. "They should torture and kill him."

Ironton resident Darlene Popov said she believes the United States should try Hussein.

"We ought to. He's killed innocent troops," she said. "This man is a psycho."

However, Coal Grove resident Bill Stewart, a Vietnam veteran, believed the Iraqis should handle the matter.

"They should turn him over to an Iraqi tribunal, and let them handle it," he said.

"It's great that they captured him, and hopefully, this will hasten getting our troops home and letting the Iraqi government take over their own country."

South Point resident Bill Stephens, a World War II veteran, said he saw very little difference between Hussein and Adolf Hitler.

"He's killed his share of them - his own people too," he said.

"It's great they got him off the streets. I hope they get Bin Laden too. I think they'll probably hang him. That's what they usually do with war crimes."

Kitts Hill resident Ron Baldwin was pleased with the capture, but he does not believe that the world will be a safer place from terrorism.

"(Terrorists) will keep on doing what they're doing," he said.

"We're there now, so I guess we'll stay. I don't know why we went. If they had nuclear weapons or something like that, I could see it. Let's put it this way: I support our troops, but I don't support our president."

However, Ironton resident Jonda Kennedy was hopeful that peace would be the end result.

"I hope this will bring some of our men home," she said. "Maybe this will bring peace to the whole world, and maybe we'll find out about the weapons of mass destruction."