WHICH IS WHY SADDAM SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY:

Former regime said at core of insurgency (BASSEM MROUE, 7/05/06, Associated Press)

The Iraqi government's list of the 41 most wanted fugitives suggests that former members of Saddam Hussein's regime form the backbone of the insurgency despite attention paid to the role of religious extremists such as al-Qaida in Iraq.

The list, released last weekend, includes at least 21 former regime figures, among them Saddam's chief lieutenant, his wife, eldest daughter, two nephews and a cousin — allegedly financiers of the insurgency.

Only five of the 41 names are clearly identified as members of al-Qaida's local branch.

It can hardly be surprising that the bone of contention is whether the majority Shi'ites will finally get to govern Iraq or whether a Sunni elite will continue to.

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 5, 2006 8:10 AM