Saddam is dead

He was executed at 6:10 in the morning (Baghdad time). I think it was very canny to execute him on Eid day and I hope Iraqis avoid any violent backlash. This must be a good day for the families and friends of all the people that he killed and tortured.

Saddam was probably weighed the day before the execution, to determine the length of drop necessary to ensure a quick death. If the rope was too long, he could have been decapitated, and if it was too short, the strangulation could have taken as long as 45 minutes. Immediately before the execution, Saddam's hands and legs were secured, and the noose was placed around his neck, with the knot behind the left ear (he refused to be blind folded. The execution took place when a trap-door was opened and Saddam fell through. Ideally, Saddam's body weight should cause a rapid fracture-dislocation of the neck. a Quik death but not instantaneous. If Saddam had strong neck muscles or if the 'drop' was too short, or the noose was wrongly positioned, the fracture-dislocation would not have been rapid and death would have resulted from slow asphyxiation. Had this occured, then Saddam's face would have been engorged, the tongue protruded, the eyes would have popped, the body defecated, and violent movements of the limbs would have occured.

According to news reports, Saddam was lucky. He died quickly. This is what happened.