The key moment in journalistic courage this year came in April, as Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert stood before the president and Washington press corps at the White House Correspondents Association dinner and brutally spoke truth to power. But if there was a flaw in Colbert's tour-de-farce it was only that he didn't go far enough. The U.S. news media today is not only a pack of sycophants, but have come to fail their most fundamental purpose: to always tell the truth

SADDAM EXECUTION STIRS ANGER, OUTRAGE

The execution of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein carried out at the start of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha has angered Iraqis and others across the Middle East. Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin, the Kurdish judge who had first presided over Saddam Hussein's trial told reporters that the execution at the beginning of Eid was illegal under Iraqi law, besides violating the customs of Islam. Amin said that under Iraqi law "no verdict should be implemented during the official holidays or religious festivals."

A member of Saddam's defense team, Najib al-Nuaimi, told reporters the day after the execution that no Sunni lawyer was allowed among the witnesses at the execution. "This is not within normal procedures," al-Nuaimi said. He added that the execution was an act of revenge and carried out for political purposes. Later, shots of the execution taken by a witness from a mobile phone showed Saddam being taunted by his executioners in his final moments. This, coupled with images of Saddam smiling at those taunting him from below the gallows, has evidently drawn widespread sympathy for Saddam.

Saddam's Execution Spurs New UN Call for Death Penalty Moratorium

Saddam had right to appeal under treaties signed by Iraq

Botched Execution Makes Saddam Surprise Muslim Martyr

"They gifted Saddam the best death at the best moment of the year and enlisted him a hero"

Saddam Hanged Without Fair Trial, Groups Say

The trial "will be seen by many as nothing more than 'victor's justice'"

Saddam's Death Also Leaves Questions Hanging

Kurds left without genocide trial

Saddam Execution Timing Stuns Iraq Sunnis

Killed on Sunni holy day for forgiveness

BAKER PANEL: NO WAY OUT OF IRAQ UNDER BUSH DOCTRINE

Among 79 recommendations included in its report, the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group (ISG) called for urgently convening all of Iraq's neighbors, including Syria and Iran, as part of a comprehensive "New Diplomatic Offensive" designed to both stabilise Iraq and to address "key regional issues," including the Arab-Israeli conflict. "There must be a renewed and sustained commitment by the United States to a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace on all fronts: Lebanon, Syria, and President Bush's June 2002 commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine," the 142-page asserted in an implicit rebuke to Bush's neglect of these conflicts.

But despite the breathless hype, the report did not include any dramatic new ideas for actually ending the war in Iraq. In fact, it did not include a call to end the war at all. Rather, the report's recommendations focus on transforming the U.S. occupation of Iraq into a long-term, sustainable, off-the-front-page occupation with a lower rate of U.S. casualties.

Crisis Group Says Baker Report Didn't Go Far Enough

Calls for "clean break" in U.S. strategy

Baker Report More Than Anyone Hoped

Diplomacy, not aggression is the realist's roadmap

Polls Show Strong Support for Iraq Study Group's Findings

All surveys show Americans consider Iraq in civil war, want U.S. out fast

Iraq Study Group Report Faces Uncertain Future

Besides White House opposition, includes hard truths about Israel's role in strife that neither party wants to consider

ISG Report: It was Always all About the Oil

Recommendations 62 and 63 confirm that control of Iraqi oil is a fundamental premise of Administration policy

Kurds Reject Baker's ISG Report

We'll secede if you touch our oil

Baker Report a Bipartisan Plan to not end Occupation

Focus is transformation into a long-term, sustainable, off-the-front-page occupation with a lower rate of U.S. casualties

Poll: Over 3 in 4 Americans Want New Path in Iraq

Want direct negotiations with Iran and Syria on stabilizing Iraq

Baker Report: Situation "Grave and Deteriorating"

"You cannot look at this area of the world and pick and choose among the countries that you're going to deal with"

Neo-Cons Move to Preempt Baker Report

Campaign to discredit bipartisan Iraq Study Group before recommendations announced