Reuters: Saddam to hang, but confusion over how soon

[Eugene]

Saddam to hang, but confusion over how soon

By Mariam Karouny
58 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi officials on Friday dismissed suggestions from Washington
that they would hang Saddam Hussein this weekend and said some in cabinet were pushing
for the execution to be put off for a month or more.

But Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who has called for the ousted president put to
death this year for killing and oppressing Shi'ites, said there would be "no review or delay"
in the sentence following this week's failure of Saddam's appeal.

And a defense lawyer said he thought Saddam might well die on Saturday after lawyers were
told to collect his belongings.

But in a continuation of public confusion at the highest levels and secrecy over the historic
proceedings, Iraq's Justice Ministry, which must carry out the execution, denied it had taken
custody of Saddam from his U.S. military jailers and said it could not legally hang him for
nearly a month.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061229/ts_nm/iraq_dc

[Newsjock]

1. The rest of the story

... Meanwhile, in Washington, White House advisor Karl Rove was reportedly in meetings to schedule the execution for optimal benefit to President Bush and beleaguered congressional Republicans.

Rove had been aiming to have Saddam's execution take place around the time of the 3,000th U.S. troop death in Iraq, but the lack of sufficient U.S. troop deaths in the final days of the month -- a development Rove called "problematic, schedulingwise" -- has led White House officials to suggest that the execution be scheduled to coincide with January's opening of the new Democratic-controlled Congress.

"The Democrat Congress has a number of disturbing ideas that likely will be raised in its opening days," said one senior White House official. "If we do not seize the debate and demonstrate our firm resolve during this difficult time, we will embolden the Islamist radicals."

Some of those close to the president, however, have privately expressed concerns that the timing of Saddam's execution could be seen as political by an increasingly skeptical American public. To that end, they have suggested delaying the hanging until the day of the president's State of the Union address. "On a day when all Americans will celebrate and honor our president and our troops, there could be no finer demonstration of that support than bringing Saddam to his ultimate justice," said another senior White House official.

[kentuck]

2. But Bush wants him hung now....he just got off the phone with Maliki...

..and Maliki is doing a good job. Since he has destroyed everything else in the country, he wants to burn the house down before he leaves...

[Eugene]

3. Reuters: FACTBOX-Saddam hanging: Who said what about when

FACTBOX-Saddam hanging: Who said what about when
29 Dec 2006 14:30:06 GMT
Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Iraqi and U.S. officials have given conflicting statements
on when Saddam Hussein will be hanged after an appeals court upheld his death sentence
on Tuesday for crimes against humanity:

-snip-

* Another senior cabinet member on Dec. 29: "It definitely won't be this weekend." He said
some Kurdish leaders wanted a delay until Saddam had been convicted in a second trial, for
genocide against the Kurds. That trial is to resume on Jan. 8.

* A government source dealing with media facilities on Dec 29: "We are ready and you should
be ready too. The execution might be next week."

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAR930017.htm

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Depends upon the satellite hook-up for FOX. n/t

[soothsayer]

5. Have to do it before April---can't hang someone over 70