Saddam Hussein has been hanged

Saddam Hussein, Iraq's dictator who ruled the country between 1979-2003 was executed this morning in Iraq.

Saddam who led his country to an 8 year war with Iran and to the first Gulf War by his invasion of Kuwait in 1990, was hanged this morning.

Saddam, who is responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Kurds, Iranians, Kuwaitis and others was toppled by the US army in the second Gulf War. Saddam faced trial in an Iraqi tribunal and was found guilty of murder.

Saddam whose request to face a firing squad was denied, refused to wear a blindfold and did not resist his execution.

Officials of the Iraqi government who witnessed the execution danced in rejoice around the body in what many view as a horrible spectacle.

Saddam has been delivered to Iraqi officials

The Americans delivered Iraq's former dictator, Saddam Hussein, to Iraqi officials.

Saddam has been sentenced to death by an Iraqi tribunal for his crimes when he held the position of Iraq's president.

Last minutes attempts to secure a stay of sentence by Saddam's lawyers failed. It is believed that Saddam will be executed in the coming hours.

Saddam is to be hanged.

Syria: The Golan Heights is not a preliminary condition

Syria continues it peace overtures to Israel: Syrain FM, Walid Mualem, in an interview to the Daily Star, said that the return of the Golan Heights is not a preliminary condition in a future negotiation between Israel and Syria. Up to now, it has always been Syria's position that the return of the Golan Heights must be the known conclusion of a negotiation between it and Israel.

Mualem's statements come in the wake of Assad's statement in which he urged Israeli PM, Olmert, to take a chance on him and see that his intentions are true. Mualem emphasized that he expresses his leader's view.

Mualem also said that Syria is eager to work constructively with Washington to solve the crisis in Iraq and does not wish to reestablish its stronghold in Lebanon as a return.

Mualem said that the Middle East is at a crossroads: either the area will return to stability, or will plummet to inter-religious wars.

Mualem's statements are a complete opposite of those he expressed after the war between Israel and Hezbollah last summer, in which he said that there is now a window of opportunity for a few months to settle the issue of the Golan Heights by peace or the countdown for a new Israeli-Syria war will commence.

Assad urges Olmert to see if he is serious

In an interview to Italian newspaper, La Republica, Syrian president, Assad, said that the USA and Europe will have to talk with Syria and Iran in order solve the crisis in Iraq.

Assad also urged Olmert to take a chance on him and see that his intentions are serious. Assad was referring to some peace overtures the Syrian President made in the past months.

Assad said that Syria is willing to work constructively with Washington to solve regional issues, for if the conflicts in the region in Iraq, Lebanon and the Israeli-palestinian conflict the neighbouring countries will pay the price.

Over the past months Assad made references to the Golan Heights and said that if no negotiation will be initiated to return it to Syria, it will have to do it by force.

The Baker-Hamilton report

The Baker-Hamilton comittee presented it's recommendations to Pres. Bush today. In the report, the comittee urges the president to initiate a process for complete peace between Israel and its neighbours. The comittee believes that by bringing an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the tension and violence in Iraq will diminish.
The comittee also suggested that the US army should take less of a fighting role in Iraq and assume a counsilatory role and focus on training the Iraqi forces to protect their own country. The comittee stated that the current American policy in Iraq is simply not working.
The comittee also counseled the president to begin talks with Syria and Iran in order to secure their aid to calm the tension in Iraq.
Pres. Bush has already stated that he is not obliged to adopt the comittee's conclusions but that he will review the report as well as reports of the Pentagon and a White House comittee on the subject of Iraq.

Bush meets with Iraq's Prime Minister

President Bush met today with Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki. This is part of the American President's visit to the kingdom of Jordan. Jordan is considered a moderate Arab state, has a peace accord with Israel and a border with Iraq. Bush's visit is part of an American campaign to secure local assistance in an effort to stablilize the situation in Iraq.
Pres. Bush refused to give a date for the withdrawl of American troops from Iraq. Bush claims that setting a deadline for a withdrawl would cause unrealistic expectations. He also expressed the view that leaving Iraq while the country is full of terrorists would jeopardize the well-being of Iraqi citizens and provide a boost for the terrorists.
Political analysts believe that part of Bush's visit is dedicated to gain support for his position regarding the issue of Iran's nuclear program. Moderate and secular Arab states have no interest to see the fundamental state of Iran holding such a weapon, as one of its goals is to spread the Islamist revolution which ocurred there in the late 1970's.