I like this disclaimer before the comments text box..

"All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others."

Props to the person responsible for approving comments that "are not attaching the comments of others." Way to do your job.

Communications happen so quickly these days; for how long will our little monkey minds be able to keep up? Technological innovation has always changed our lives but news is so immdiate now - we're on the edges of our seats awaiting the next installment in the serial. It's very easy to become desensitized - catching up on Saddam's execution and the after effects is a lot like tuning into for the latest sports scores. I support the distribution of information completely, but admittedly find cell phones to be getting creepier by the minute, or rather .001 of a second

What makes George Bush think that the new government will be any better than Hussein? We are wasting lives, time and money in Iraq. We are no safer, and what does 911 have to do with Iraq anyway? The real person we should have been pursuing is Bin Laden. Saddam, as bad as he was, was just a scapegoat because we can't find the real criminal behind 911.

Who cares? With all the killing and destruction in Iraq, and by the way, the U.S. forces, the Shiites militants, Sunni insurgents and everyone else guilty of this continuing horror, why would anyone want to make an issue of someone secretly filmimng Saddam's execution? The execution is nothing compared to the daily slaughter of innocent civilians. Why doesn't the U.S. government or the Iraqi government address this instead? Get your priorities straight.

Much wisdom in what "gina massimi" sais, however if we really want to understand Iraqis and Islamics as a whole we only have to read the Quran by the entirety.
Some Surahs (chapter/verse) are so tragic/comical as to defy logic.
For example Surah 9:5 states clearly "Kill all infidels wherever you find them" That means anyone that is not a Muslim. CAN YOU IMAGINE A HOLY BOOK STATING THAT AS A COMMAND TO BE A GOOD RELIGIOUS PERSON?
That whole culture is bankrupt in need of a whole make-over.

...and we all know it!

What is the big deal! More horrific scenes were publicized when his sons were bombed and killed. We have seen pictures of dead kids in northern Iraq when Saddam ordered nerve gas on his own people. Many people wanted to see this video in order to obtain assurance that this guy is truly dead. If anyone felt sorry for this tyrant, then they should think about how sorry he felt for all the kids he killed and orphaned.

Let's cut the CRAP. This guy got what he deserved. He wasn't dubbed the "Butcher of Baghdad" for nothing. Now we should feel sorry for him because his own countrymen taunted him on the gallows? Get real people. This is media sensationalism at it's best. We tolerated his nonsense during a protracted trial. In his last moments before he desended into hell, he wasn't owed any honor. He wasn't abused like he abused his victims. I have to question the mental capacity of anyone who thinks he deserved better.

It is true that the biggest wrongs that Saddam did have been intentionally left out by the US. The invasion of IRAN leaves culpibility on the USA as well as the US manufactured Musturd GAS used on the KURDS. Why wasn't any of this allowed in the trial. Don't get me wrong, I believe Sadam was guilty and got what was coming. It is just too obvious that tracks are being covered and selective crimes were chosen and other conviently left out.

One last thing. If in fact we are not covering all of the issues in the IRAQ conflict then should the media also be quiet about things that certainly stir up more trouble?

Again... More political correctness so we don’t offend our enemy and make them more hateful then they already are and I'm sick and tired of it. You show your enemy in the harshest terms possible that you play the same ballgame that they do and you will send them packing back to the holes in the mountains that they slithered from. We need to get back to the business of winning and being leaders.

"Candorin", please don't pretend to know what Islam is about. And by the way, when referring to people that follow Islam, the word is not Islamics, it is Muslims.

People denounce Bush and his action in Iraq but he is living up to the American way. I agree, this was revenge for Bush. He set out for a goal, capturing and killing Saddam, and he got it. This was a personal victory for him. It doesn't matter if it was botched, sloppy, or performed innapropriately, he got a "W" in his book. It is only a matter of time to see the responses.

I agree with Josh 100%. No one liked Saddam and he deserved the punishment. The manner in which the hanging took place was a disaster and totally inhumane. Today's situation in Iraq has been brought about by the US occupation and it seems that there is no end to the suffering of a common Iraqi man. Iraqis suffered under the Saddram Hussein regime and they are suffering now. People commenting on Middle East, in general should make themselves aware first of the history of Iraq and how it was formed. Also they should famililiarise themselves with its War History and see how the occupying forces suffered in the past.

I sincerely pray for, first the Iraqis( millions dead and displaced), then for the US and coalition forces( dead in 1000s now ) and then for the world population. Let the New Year bring some peace to this earth.

Please do not think the only US citizens need peace!!
911 was a bad incident but please please look beyond and see what else is happening in the world.

To "Richard, Los Angeles, CA"...Vietnam was not a "disgrace" as you put it. Sure, it was not an ultimate victory for the US fighting machine but it did lead to the fall of Saigon and keep South Vietnamese free from the North. The "War in Iraq" brought down a ruthless dictator much like "World War II" brought Hitler to his demise. Iraq has a democratic future and our policy there can only help the Iraqi people taste freedom as we know it. "War is Hell" and freedom is not "free."

He was a wicked man who got what he had coming to him. He deserved to be disgraced the way he was right up until the end. We spend too much time worrying about sinister people's rights and not looking at the evil things they have done. Quit complaining!

OK, so let's see... Make sure that the condemned man is not taunted and that we treat him respectfully, of course he made sure that this was the case while he was the ececutioner, right... Now we must be respectful of his wishes and execute him in a dignified and humane manner, oh, wait do not let anyone taunt him... Then we take away his one true and valuable human right - life! Who cares if we stoned him, drew and quartered or what! Thing is we are executing someone who may deserve it or may have deserved to life and die of old age, taunted and ridiculed each day about the way in which he was known to treat other humans.

A disaster? The whole purpose of an execution is to kill somebody. They guy's dead, where's the disaster?

1. I disagree with those who suggest that the taunting was irrelevant. Perception is important, and it appears many Sunnis see it as an insult. Maybe they'll get over it; maybe not. If "not," that can be a problem for the Americans serviing over there.

2. Just curious, but how do we know that no Americans took part in the execution? The executioners wore masks. Wait until the rumor of American participation takes hold. Perception, again, is important.

Well fellow humans, we have had another public lynching. This one on film.
Horray for us.
We are a sad and disgusting lot, we humans.
There will never be peace on earth, so long as vindictiveness and revenge rule the day.
How sad tha the teachings of great humans past, those upon which our religions are based can so easily be pushed aside for vengence, and hate.
It's a proud day to be a human.

The war in Iraq has turned out to be an absolute mess, but I have always wondered if we had not invaded what would Iraq be like today, 3 years later? Much stronger, with Sadam and his sons well entrenched, and preparing for a later confrontation at some point with our young soldiers. It seems inevitable and it is just a matter of which of our 20 year olds would have to deal with the promblem, not if.

Eric, what a ridiculous thing to say. It doesn't matter that 3,000 of our soldiers have died just so George Bush can have a "W" in his book? What is your definition of the "American way"? If being a narrow minded idiot who won't listen to world opinion is the American way, then George Bush certainly lives up to that standard.

All this shows is that Bush replaced one brutal dictator with another one. Al Sadr, or someone very much like him, will replace Saddam Hussein as the dictator of Iraq. Aout the only thing that will change is the names and the particular group suffering the outrages. What a waste. What a stupid, awful, and incompetently run waste, one that is wrecking my country so a bunch of lunatics in Washington and Iraq and play "leader" and rake in money for themselves and their friends. Bush needs to be impeached and made to stand trial for murder and crimes against humanity.

"Mir" I am not trying to start a debate about Isalm, but I am curious what your response would be to the Surah 9:5 that "Candorin" quoted out of the Quran.

Human beings can't give life, so, ¿why do we think we can take it away? I bet you the same people who killed Saddam would act like him if given the oportunity. Give them the chance to have power and see if they don't act stupid too.

Even though I don't agree that saddam's execution should have been videotaped. I agree that the people who are protesting Saddam's execution video should also protest when videos appear of hostages being beheaded, our soldiers attacked, etc. There shouldn't be a double standard on this.

Lumping Muslims together with Islamic Fanatics is the wrong thing to do. There is a difference. It's the fanatics, such as those with the camera phone (which should never have been allowed) that are terroists.

Our soldiers should never have been put there. Our focus was lost when we looked to Iraq, and away from Afganistan. That being said, our troops should be supported as much as possible. Only with support can they make a difference.