Angry, shaking and defiant, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death this morning by hanging for ordering the massacre of Iraqi civilians

He shouted: "Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest) and "Long live the nation!", pointing defiantly at the judge.

Looking defiant and bitter as the verdict was delivered, he continued to shout "Long live the people and death to their enemies. Long live the glorious nation, and death to its enemies!"

He had refused to stand for the verdict and had to be lifted to his feet by two court bailiffs.

"Make him stand," the judge ordered as the former president stayed seated.

Saddam was convicted of ordering the deaths of 148 Shia men and teenage boys in the town of Dujail in 1982.

The killings followed a failed assassination attempt against him and were intended to act as a grim warning to others not to oppose him.

The hearing has now been adjourned.


Sky | Forbes | Denver Post

Another 'milestone' for W's desultory life.

W holds the record for executing Texans.

The world believes that W is infinately more dangerous and destructive than Sadaam.

W is the worst president in US history.

With half the citizenry of the US still believing that Saddam's govt possessed WMDs, it would be outrageous (on principle) to allow this -- much less initiate this execution of a world leader. This represents the single-most aggregious act of misguided diplomacy in perhaps the entire history of the USA.

The executive could arguably bust-in on Iraq in a police action to hold the man to account for his crimes, but went the route of "proving" to Congress that Saddam a) had WMDs and/or b) was directly involved in 9/11 attack. To enforce the order by invading the nation (similar to getting a warrant and breaking into a home), and then capturing and executing the man for a different crime than was "proved" to get the warrant, is inconsistent with this nation's entire framework.

Apparently, the United States of America is not a land known/understood by this administration. Many families have been here since the 1600s-1700s and even shipping in millions of immigrants and allowing millions of illegals entry has not yet rectified the existing Constitution ratified by the Constitutional Convention.

Congress should also go back to school, or renew their oath, or get out of the way and let citizens with courage take the post.

Sadaam's hanging says more about the US than Sadaam.

No other 'civilized' nation promotes capital punishment, "gun ownership," and 'pre-emptive war' like W's US. "Barbaric" is the word used by most US alies. The kangaroo court and Iraqi government were US puppets. Neither will stand even with a very long term increase of money and US troop support.

W's Iraq 'mission' is a total failure.

Add Sadaam's blood to the 3000 US soldiers killed, the 30,000 maimed Us soldiers, the 600,000 dead Iraqis, and the 100,000 Iraqis displaced per month by W's illegal and unproductive failures by invading Iraq. Most of the world believes W is a greater war criminal than Sadaam.