Saddam Hussein Found Guilty. Hanging is Next.

UPDATE! - Go here for video of Saddam's hanging!

It finally came. The verdict was handed down by the Iraqi Court finding Saddam Hussein guilty for crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. Although he said he preferred to be executed in front of a firing squad. Gateway Pundits has more details.

This will be a victory for the Bush Administration who helped capture Saddam Hussein. I'm sure the liberals will question the "timing" with 2 days left before the 2007 General Election.

You can read a 2002 report by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in order to understand exactly what Saddam Hussein did to deserve the hanging:
SADDAM HUSSEIN: crimes and human rights abuses. A report on the human cost of Saddam’s policies. Reading that report you'll notice no references on hangings.

Go here for some videos of survivors and relatives of those innocent people executed explaining just how horrific Saddam Hussein's regime was.

Executions: Saddam Hussein's regime has carried out frequent summary executions, including: o 4,000 prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in 1984 o 3,000 prisoners at the Mahjar prison from 1993-1998 o 2,500 prisoners were executed between 1997-1999 in a "prison cleansing campaign" o 122 political prisoners were executed at Abu Ghraib prison in February/March 2000 o 23 political prisoners were executed at Abu Ghraib prison in October 2001 o At least 130 Iraqi women were beheaded between June 2000 and April 2001.

Here are some more from the US Department of State on the grisly numbers and how many were tortured and/or executed. Compared to a hanging Saddam Hussein is getting off easy.

Here's Richard Clark's paper (not that Richard Clark) on "The process of judicial hanging" where he describes the various types of hangings. Including post mortem autopsy results. It includes grisly descriptions resulting from a hanging. Website includes links to hanging pictures. Richard also makes a note that hanging was used extensively in Iraq under Saddam and it continues to be the lawful method there under the new government.

And, oh, did you know that the U.N. and the E.U. are against execution back in 2004 shortly after Saddam was captured saying executions are humane?

The prospect that Hussein could be tried by a new Iraqi government has raised concerns among some human-rights organizations over whether he would receive a fair trial. They have also warned that the Iraqi legal system's provision for capital punishment brings it into conflict with the values of EU countries like Britain and Spain that backed the war to topple his regime. The EU states and the United Nations consider execution inhumane.

Speaking shortly after Hussein's capture, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan offered the world's body assistance to assure Hussein gets fair treatment and said any trial must adhere to international standards: "Whatever court is set up has to meet basic international norms and standards, and if -- in doing that -- one needs to get help from our side, I think it should be considered. But the emphasis should be in respecting the basic norms and standards, including international humanitarian law."

Whatever.

Be sure to read Iraq the Model. There'll be inside scoop on the reaction of the Iraqi people in and around Bagdad.

Also, a question. Will CNN do a live tape of the hanging or will they say it's against their policy to do snuff film?