A BLOG EXCLUSIVE!!!!

Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, who was executed one week ago today, apparently made a deal with the U.S. military that would have allowed him to escape to Jordan in return for calling off the Sunni resistance in Iraq.

According to Iran's Al-Alem TV news, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki learned of the plan from Iraqi security forces and made a decision to rush the execution.

For the past week, countries around the world have condemned the rush to execute Saddam Hussein and the treatment he received at his hanging.

A leaked cell phone video (first reported on this website) of Saddam's gruesome hanging was seen by millions around the world. In the video, Hussein is seen shouting prayers while being taunted by Shi'ite prison guards.

Media organizations and bloggers have speculated why the execution was so rushed and sloppy. This is the first report of a reason for the events of last week that may have some credence to it.

Note: IRC has been unable to confirm these reports, but we're working on it. There is no other blog or media organization reporting this news at this time. But they will be.

Labels: Iranian TV reports Deal with Saddam and U.S., Saddam Cell Phone Video, Saddam Execution Deal, Saddam Hussein Deal with U.S. Military, Saddam Video

Following a tip from a source inside Iraq, IRC obtained a copy of the smuggled out cell phone video of Saddam Hussein's execution.

At first, we couldn't believe our eyes and then saw clips of the "official" video tape on CNN (why hasn't the "official" tape been released unedited to the public?).

So IRC posted the story right away with the famous link to the infamous video. Read the original breaking story published on Dec. 30, 2006 - the day of the execution.

IRC was the first blog on the Internet to release the full, unedited video. We posted the video just about 10 minutes after we watched it three times on Saturday, December 30, 2006.

It's a raw inside look at a historic event, but in the most unusual of circumstances. Some have said the treatment of Mr. Hussein was inhumane. Everyone has their right to their own opinion. It certainly wasn't worth more than 3,000 Americans' lives, and more than 16,000 Iraqis in 2006 alone!

We had already posted the video in it's original form here on IRC and hours before the major news and media organizations fretted and stammered on the air trying to decide what to do with the raw footage. Our logs show that some new organizations, such as FOX, downloaded the video from our site and then went on the air with it, but of course, edited out the moment the trap door drops and Saddam falls and hangs.

The video wasn't even posted on YouTube until late Saturday night or early Sunday morning and almost all the various versions were edited or manipulated in some way. (Sunnis protest Saddam Hussein's execution in photo to the right.)

How is this relevant to an indie music site?

IRC is not exclusively about independent and alternative forms of music, but it is definitely our primary focus to bring our subscribers and visitors the best news, music, videos, concerts, websites, interviews, MP3s, playlists, Podcasts, special features and contests from the indie music world, with the emphasis on rock, but we also enjoy and will cover all genres of indie rock (indie pop, lo-fi, emo, twee-pop, electronica, hiphop).

Since we like to think of ourselves as a "virtual cafe", we invite everyone to participate, listen to, and read about, great independent artists, groups and songs, as well as discuss a range of issues from world news to the entertainment industry.

Finally, under Saddam's 25-year iron fist, oppression and threats, torture and murders, he outlawed music, except propaganda and traditional music. People were tortured, jailed and even killed for smuggling in music, especially western music.

SPECIAL: Don't miss the Death to Dics!! iRock Podcast with songs against dictators by some of the best artists on the scene today, and some from yesterday.

Labels: Cell Phone Saddam Hanging, Original Saddam Video, Saddam Cell Phone Video, Saddam Video Execution, Video of Saddam Hanging