Khalilzad to Leave

News reports state that United States Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad is likely to leave his post in the coming months.

On Saddam Hussein's Imminent Demise

Today we learned what we already knew: that Saddam Hussein would be sentenced to death for the murderous misrule of his fellow Iraqis.

Many people consider a death sentence obvious justice for a man who committed genocide. Others are against any execution on principle.

I, frankly, wish Saddam would have received the death penalty for the murderous repression of the majority of his people rather than just the Anfal campaign against the Kurds. But, well, I suppose Saddam probably could only be tried for one campaign of genocide at a time.

I favor Saddam's execution for the same reason Niccolo Macchiavelli said that new rulers of states should execute former ruling families.

The execution of Saddam Hussein will remove the hope of Saddam and his supporters that as a result of post-American upheaval he might return to power or political prominence in Iraq (or a Gelbian Sunni mini-state) over the next decade or so.

Eliminating a rallying point for revanchists and end a threat to Iraqi unity is a good reason to go forward with the execution of Saddam Hussein. Once Saddam is executed, I hope that an bloody and ignominious chapter of middle east politics can be closed.

Saddam Sentenced to Death

Here are the papers on the Saddam Hussein death verdict:

In the Washington Post:

• King Sneer: Saddam Hussein Keeps Up the Drama, Right Into the Final Act, by Philip Kennicott;
• Reactions to Verdict Reflect Shifts in Iraqis' Fortunes, by Sudarsan Raghavan and Salih Dehema; and
• Bush Applauds Hussein Verdict, by Peter Baker.

In the New York Times:

• Hussein Is Sentenced to Death by Hanging; by John F. Burns and Kirk Semple;
• Bush Trumpets Iraq Verdict to Rally Support, by Adam Nagourney and Jim Rutenberg;
• Mideast Expected the Verdict but Doubts Whether It’s Fair, by Hassan M. Fattah;
• In Iraq, Shiite Joy and a Boost for Prime Minister, by Sabrina Tavernise;
• In a Divided Iraq, Reaction to Saddam Death Sentence Conforms to Sectarian Lines, also by Sabrina Tavernise; and
• Hussein Trial Was Flawed but Reasonably Fair, and Verdict Was Justified, Legal Experts Say, by Julia Preston.

In the L.A. Times:

• Verdict Stirs Fury, Praise, Among Iraqis, by Louise Roug;
• In Dujayl, relief at last for a family of victims; by Ken Ellingwood and Ibraheem Dujayli; and
• An angry hometown crowd, also by Louise Roug.

Today's Bloomberg wire report:

• Iraqi Shiites, Kurds Rejoice on Verdict; Sunnis Mourn.

From Reuters:

• IRAQ: Hear Our Voices – Saddam faces death, but victims' suffering continues;
• Iraq starts to lift curfew after Saddam verdict, by Alastair Macdonald; and
• Europeans urge Iraq not to execute Saddam, from IRIN.