Saddam Will Be Executed Tonight

Supposedly. Witnesses are gathering in the Green Zone and footage of his crimes is being broadcast on television in preparation of the big event.

A top Iraqi official said Saddam will be executed before 10 p.m. EST Friday.

The Iraqi government readied all the necessary documents, including a "red card" — an execution order introduced during Saddam's dictatorship.

Mmm, always good to show how things have changed by using the same accoutrements of death while executing their architect.

The physical transfer of Saddam from U.S. to Iraqi authorities was believed to be one of the last steps before he was to be hanged.

"We have agreed with the Americans that the handover will take place only a few minutes before he is executed," a senior Iraqi government official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.

…"The Americans want him to be hanged respectfully," [Najeeb al-Nueimi, a member of Saddam's legal team] said. If Saddam is humiliated publicly or his corpse ill-treated "that could cause an uprising and the Americans would be blamed," he said.

And the last thing we'd want is to be blamed for causing trouble in the Middle East.

Make sure to stop by The Dark Wraith's place for another side of what, precisely, we're doing here. The comments thread is rather alarmingly cynical, even considering the usual disposition of its participants.