Saddam Hussein was executed early Saturday morning on December 30, 2006, just a short while before this article was published. He was 69 years old and executed along with others convicted including his half-brother Barzan Ilbrahim.
Before his execution he provided his last will to family members allowed to visit him in his cell. US forces maintained custody of Hussein before the execution to prevent humiliation of Hussein as many others executed have been subjected to just prior to the many public hangings that take place in Baghdad. These hangings are not televised and not regularly picked up by Western press, but are said to execute dozens of people each week.
US forces are believed to have taken custody of his body after the execution as well to again prevent desecration of the corpse.
His execution brings closes the chapter on one dark chapter of Iraq's history in the midst of a new dark chapter that appears to be starting. The Iraq war succeeded in removing Saddam from power, but the cost of that war in dollars, lives and blood will be questioned for many years to come.
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