A Brutal, Murderous Dictator is Dead

President Bush called the execution a historical moment in Iraq's road to democracy.

"Saddam Hussein's execution comes at the end of a difficult year for the Iraqi people and for our troops," he said. "Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain and defend itself, and be an ally in the war on terror."

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Newsweek videotaper of Saddam's execution:

'I Saw Fear, He Was Afraid'

Saddam: Defiant As Ever in Death Penalty Verdict

The brutal dictator is getting what he deserves! He faces hanging after Baghdad verdict of guilty. Lots of links over at The Drudge Report.

Sky News has the headline: Saddam Hussein To Hang.

Excerpt:

Saddam initially refused to get to his feet for verdict Saddam Hussein To Hang
Updated: 16:31, Sunday November 05, 2006

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

"Allahu Akbar!" (God is Greatest) and "Long live the nation!", he shouted, pointing defiantly at the judge as the verdict was delivered.

Looking away in disgust, and then staring angrily back at the judge 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.

He then stood in silence and waited for his fate to be announced to the world.

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.


Saddam shouted defiantly as he was sentenced to death Saddam was on trial with seven co-accused:

Awad Hamed al Bander, former chief judge in Saddam's Revolutionary Court, has been sentenced to hang

Saddam's half-brother Barzan al Tikriti, head of the feared Mukhabarat intelligence service, was sentenced to hang

Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan was sentenced to life in prison

Three Ba'ath party officials were sentenced to 15 years in prison

Abdullah Kazim Ruwayyid, former Ba'ath official, given 15 years

Mizhar Abdullah Ruwayyid, former Ba'ath official, given 15 years

Ali Dayih Ali, former Ba'ath official, given 15 years

Mohammed Azawi Ali, a Ba'ath party official in Dujail, was cleared.

Saddam is in the middle of a second crimes against humanity trial and the appeal against the Dujail death sentence will start on Monday, taking two months.

He had wanted to face a firing squad - that request was refused.

Celebratory gunfire echoed across Baghdad while fighting broke out in the north of the city.

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