The backstory

Once again the New York Times is Johnny-on-the-spot to provide the first leaks of the goings-on behind the scenes at Saddam's impromptu hanging. The crux of the leak makes it appear, contrary to what some might believe, that the US was only advising and assisting the Maliki government, not deciding.

The final paragraph may lend credence to the theory mentioned in the previous post about possible "ways forward":

At the burial, several mourners threw themselves on the closed casket. One, a young man convulsed with sobs, cried: “He has not died. I can hear him speaking to me.” Another shouted, “Saddam is dead! Instead of weeping for him, think of ways we can take revenge on the Iranian enemy,” Sunni parlance for the Shiites now in power.

Ah yes, the enemy.

Iraqi bloggers are speaking. Check out the Iraqslogger's roundup. Most of them felt holding the execution on Saturday--which the Sunnis consider the first day of Eid, was an overt slap in the face.

MORE 1/1/07

While wasting just a little more time drinking coffee and surfing before retiring to less taxing pursuits for the rest of today, I came across Nancy Pelosi's statement regards Saddam on her website via Debbie at Right Truth. A very short statement covering both bases.

However comma...since Iran represents the looming T-Rex off camera in this drama it's germane to wonder what the Democrats might do. Ironically, as of January 1st at 1 pm CST when clicking on the link "House Democrats have a New Direction for America" a visitor got this message. An error of course, but it seems to sum things up nicely.