Report: U.S. Tried To Delay Saddam Hanging
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In the hours before Saddam Hussein was led to the gallows by men in ski masks, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq reportedly tried, but failed, to delay the execution, reports CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston.
A Reuters report, quoting Iraqi officials familiar with the discussions, says ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad insisted that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki provide certain documents, including a signature from Iraq's president.
Iraq's national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie confirmed to CBS News that the U.S. "brought to the attention of the government of Iraq to be careful with ... documentation" and that Iraq provided the required paperwork including "a consent document from President Jalal Talabani."
The U.S. had leverage. From the moment of his capture, to his trial and sentencing, Saddam was in U.S. military custody, reports Pinkston. After the flurry of negotiations, Saddam wasn't handed over until a few hours before his execution.
After Hussein's burial Monday, rage over the hanging spilled into the streets in many parts of the Sunni Muslim hartland Monday, especially in Samarra where a mob of angry protesters broke the locks off the badly damaged Shiite Golden Dome mosque and marched through carrying a mock coffin and photo of the executed former leader.
Sunni extremists had blown apart the glistening dome on the Shiite holy place 10 months earlier, setting in motion the sectarian slaughter that now grips the troubled land.
The Samarra protest was particularly significant because it signaled a widening expression of defiance among Sunnis, the minority Muslim sect in Iraq that had enjoyed special status and power under Saddam and had oppressed the now-ascendant Shiite majority for centuries.
But what exactly is the difference between Sunnis and Shia? Nihad Awad, Executive Director of CAIR, says, "The difference between the two is not necessarily a religious one. It is administrative, it is a political one. And in fact, it is less of a difference than between Catholics and Protestants."
Until Saddam was executed, excluding a few days of protests after his death sentence was handed down Nov. 5, the broader Sunni population had sought a low profile in the sectarian conflict that had seen thousands of them killed or driven from their homes by Shiite militia forces since the Samarra bombing Feb. 22.
"Saddam Hussein's execution is not likely to bring the hoped-for reconciliation although it brought closure to some of his victims," said CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst Pamela Falk, "and the continued sectarian violence will be key to the Administration's reevaluation of Iraq policy, expected later this week."
Sunni insurgents and foreign fighters of al-Qaida in Iraq had been conducting a bloody insurgency with attacks on U.S. forces and brutal bombings against Shiite civilians since the summer of 2003, shortly after Saddam was ousted in the American-led invasion.
While many Sunnis were known to be sympathetic to the insurgency, its active membership had not reached broadly into the Sunni population. The angry Sunni protests that now are building in the country could presage deeper involvement by what until now had been a largely quiescent group.
The Sunnis were not only angered by Saddam's hurried execution, just four days after an appeals court upheld his conviction and sentence, but were increasingly incensed by the unruly and undignified manner in which the hanging was carried out.
A clandestine video of the hanging showed Saddam was taunted by some present at the execution with chants of "Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada" in the last moments of his life. The chants were a reference to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who runs one of the deadliest religious militias in Iraq and is a major power behind the government of al-Maliki, who had pushed for Saddam to be hanged before the year was out.
Saddam was put to death on the eve of the Shiite celebration of the Eid al-Ahda, the major Muslim festival marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and a remembrance Abraham's willingness to sacrifice of his son, now symbolized by the slaughtering of sheep.
The first judge in the so-called Dujail trial, Rizgar Mohammed Amin, said Saddam's execution in the during the eid was illegal according to Iraqi law. Sunni Muslim festivities marking the holiday began on the same day that Saddam was hanged. Rizgar, a Kurd, was removed as chief judge in the case after Shiite complaints that he was too lenient. He was replaced in January 2006 by Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman.
"The implementation of Saddam's execution during Eid al-adha is illegal according to chapter 9 of the tribunal law. Article 27 states that nobody, even the president (Jalal Talabani), may change rulings by the tribunal and the implementation of the sentence should not happen until 30 days after publication that the appeals court has upheld the tribunal verdict.
The hanging during the Eid al-Adha period (also) contradicts Iraqi and Islamic custom. "Article 290 of the criminal code of 1971 (which was largely used in the Saddam trial) states that no verdict should implemented during the official holidays or religious festivals," he said.
In northern Baghdad, hundreds of Sunnis conducted a demonstration to mourn Saddam in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood.
"The Baath party and Baathists still exist in Iraq, and nobody can marginalize it," said Samir al-Obaidi, 48, who attended a Saddam memorial in the Azamiyah neighborhood.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Reuters report, quoting Iraqi officials familiar with the discussions, says ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad insisted that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki provide certain documents, including a signature from Iraq's president.
Iraq's national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie confirmed to CBS News that the U.S. "brought to the attention of the government of Iraq to be careful with ... documentation" and that Iraq provided the required paperwork including "a consent document from President Jalal Talabani."
The U.S. had leverage. From the moment of his capture, to his trial and sentencing, Saddam was in U.S. military custody, reports Pinkston. After the flurry of negotiations, Saddam wasn't handed over until a few hours before his execution.
After Hussein's burial Monday, rage over the hanging spilled into the streets in many parts of the Sunni Muslim hartland Monday, especially in Samarra where a mob of angry protesters broke the locks off the badly damaged Shiite Golden Dome mosque and marched through carrying a mock coffin and photo of the executed former leader.
Sunni extremists had blown apart the glistening dome on the Shiite holy place 10 months earlier, setting in motion the sectarian slaughter that now grips the troubled land.
The Samarra protest was particularly significant because it signaled a widening expression of defiance among Sunnis, the minority Muslim sect in Iraq that had enjoyed special status and power under Saddam and had oppressed the now-ascendant Shiite majority for centuries.
But what exactly is the difference between Sunnis and Shia? Nihad Awad, Executive Director of CAIR, says, "The difference between the two is not necessarily a religious one. It is administrative, it is a political one. And in fact, it is less of a difference than between Catholics and Protestants."
Until Saddam was executed, excluding a few days of protests after his death sentence was handed down Nov. 5, the broader Sunni population had sought a low profile in the sectarian conflict that had seen thousands of them killed or driven from their homes by Shiite militia forces since the Samarra bombing Feb. 22.
"Saddam Hussein's execution is not likely to bring the hoped-for reconciliation although it brought closure to some of his victims," said CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst Pamela Falk, "and the continued sectarian violence will be key to the Administration's reevaluation of Iraq policy, expected later this week."
Sunni insurgents and foreign fighters of al-Qaida in Iraq had been conducting a bloody insurgency with attacks on U.S. forces and brutal bombings against Shiite civilians since the summer of 2003, shortly after Saddam was ousted in the American-led invasion.
While many Sunnis were known to be sympathetic to the insurgency, its active membership had not reached broadly into the Sunni population. The angry Sunni protests that now are building in the country could presage deeper involvement by what until now had been a largely quiescent group.
The Sunnis were not only angered by Saddam's hurried execution, just four days after an appeals court upheld his conviction and sentence, but were increasingly incensed by the unruly and undignified manner in which the hanging was carried out.
A clandestine video of the hanging showed Saddam was taunted by some present at the execution with chants of "Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada" in the last moments of his life. The chants were a reference to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who runs one of the deadliest religious militias in Iraq and is a major power behind the government of al-Maliki, who had pushed for Saddam to be hanged before the year was out.
Saddam was put to death on the eve of the Shiite celebration of the Eid al-Ahda, the major Muslim festival marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and a remembrance Abraham's willingness to sacrifice of his son, now symbolized by the slaughtering of sheep.
The first judge in the so-called Dujail trial, Rizgar Mohammed Amin, said Saddam's execution in the during the eid was illegal according to Iraqi law. Sunni Muslim festivities marking the holiday began on the same day that Saddam was hanged. Rizgar, a Kurd, was removed as chief judge in the case after Shiite complaints that he was too lenient. He was replaced in January 2006 by Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman.
"The implementation of Saddam's execution during Eid al-adha is illegal according to chapter 9 of the tribunal law. Article 27 states that nobody, even the president (Jalal Talabani), may change rulings by the tribunal and the implementation of the sentence should not happen until 30 days after publication that the appeals court has upheld the tribunal verdict.
The hanging during the Eid al-Adha period (also) contradicts Iraqi and Islamic custom. "Article 290 of the criminal code of 1971 (which was largely used in the Saddam trial) states that no verdict should implemented during the official holidays or religious festivals," he said.
In northern Baghdad, hundreds of Sunnis conducted a demonstration to mourn Saddam in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood.
"The Baath party and Baathists still exist in Iraq, and nobody can marginalize it," said Samir al-Obaidi, 48, who attended a Saddam memorial in the Azamiyah neighborhood.
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Stop posting the exact same points. We know what your views are. Come up with something we haven't heard from you, or shutup.
Judging from the half-illiterate ramblings of the backwater liberal rubes replying on this message board, there isn't a whole lot of intelligence going around the democratic ranks for any remarks to be found insulting to their "intelligence".
Hard to even take some whining hick seriously when he can't even spell or write. For starters, you fools, I recommend "Spell Check"....."
Rusty... I have one thing to say to you... RIGHT ON. Seriously. I can't even be bothered to read the BS posted by some of these people. Patriotic9's posts are 25 line long sentences with every 5th word capitalized. I'm desperately trying not to bang my head on the wall.
Posted by ghareeb2 at 08:04 PM : Jan 01, 2007
Let's get this straight... WE DON'T GIVE A RAT's @SS IF WE OFFEND YOUR MUSLIM CUSTOMS. Got it?"
Yes. Exactly. WE are not Muslims, and your religious holidays are of no concern to us. If you killed a Christian on Christmas Day, we wouldn't expect you to give a flying **** either. Why should I feel bad for doing something on a day that has absolutely no relevance to me? I know the world is OCD about political correctness, but give me a break. It's not my problem. And newsflash, buddy... The US did not have completely and sole responsibility as to when Saddam was going to be executed.
#1 - What the **** are you talking about? I don't know about you, but it's complete news to me that Bush sits around studying up on Adolf Hitler. So I have no idea where that load of ridiculous BS came from.
#2 - Why wouldn't Bush want Saddam dead? I did! I'm glad he's dead! He was a horribly heartless, cold, and evil person who did not deserve an ounce of the air that he breathed. You posted that as if we should all be appalled and shocked at the idea of our president feeling that a mass murderer doesn't deserve to live. *GASP!*
Let me just say that I saw the bootleg version of the festivities and I'm glad the SOB (poor old man indeed. Shove it up your @ss )is dead. My baby brother was in Desert Storm and was disappointed that they weren't allowed to enter Bagdag.
For those who are sad for Sad'n'Insane: Hey, if you think things are so bad here I'd be happy to provide you with a one-way ticket to Iraq. Any takers? I didn't think so...
Posted by Agnim
I truly hope you're just being sarcastic here. In the few years since he was deposed there is a reasonable assumption that he and his cronies would have killed at least as many people as have died trying to set things right, and for no other reason than 'he just felt like it'.
"I just saw everything up until the floor fell, and I must say that it appeared more of a LYNCHING than a hanging. I am NOT defending the murderer(Saddam), but the way it was carried out...
If the United States government WANTED to DELAY Saddam's execution--WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT."
Posted by kstrisha
No, 'trisha, a lynching is where there is no trial and people just go do what they want to do, which wouldn't have been so wrong in this particular case. This is, after all, the payment he received for many years of well-known atrocities. It's not like anyone in the world had any reasonable doubt that he was the guilty party.
"Fascist America in our Media.
WAKE UP!!!
V for Vendetta%u2026
%u2026McCarthy
Lincoln
Salem Witch Trials"
Posted by fascistusa
Uh, what...? Are you on the right forum page?
There seems to be three camps here... The Muslims (and Muslim wantabes), the liberals, and the real people. let's start with the Muslim group first, shall we?
"The hanging during the Eid al-Adha period (also) contradicts Iraqi and Islamic custom"
If that's the case, then why did the Islamic Iraqis do it on that day? Maybe it's because they wanted to show the world that they hated this man so much that he doesn't deserve to be recognized and honored as any other Islamic Iraqi would have been? What do you think? Do you think they saw him as a piece of ***, too, just like the rest of the world?
"In fact, it is shameful that US forces only minutes earlier turned the former president of a sovereign country over to an un-dignified and politically aligned mob."
Posted by dance231
Or, just perhaps, that's exactly the way it should have been handled. We caught him and detained him; they tried, convicted and executed him.