Historic

is probably the only word to describe the death penalty passed to Saddam today. I would say good riddance to him for too many reasons which you can read in other Iraqi blogs. But American politicians will not be celebrating. The biggest victor from this will be the Mehdi Army.

One thing I have learnt from all these years of observing world events is that wars are won and lost on the moral of the people. The Baathists in Iraq held on to dream that one day they will restore their dictator to power. With the execution order this dream has gone. Saddam will be executed and they will be powerless to stop it. They may posture and bluster but they are defeated.

The Mehdi Militia has successfully broken two America plots to attack it through the Iraqi government. The first when Malaki publicly refused American insistence to force his government to disband this militia. The second when the American army was humiliatingly made to disband a blockade of the militia's stronghold of Sadr City.

Now America has handed the Mehdi Army the defeat of its biggest internal opposition in Iraq on a plate. Not that I relish the prospect of an Iraq ruled by the Mehdi Army but the irony is so thick you can taste it.