Militia Are Part of the Iraqi Government

This is embarrassingly clear now, in the wake of the Saddam execution.

Iraqi officials claim Saddam Hussein's execution was infiltrated by outsiders bent on inflaming sectarian tensions.

Authorities are questioning a guard at the prison where the hanging took place. They are trying to find out who filmed the event on a cellphone, and leaked the video.

The footage of the former dictator being taunted by Shi'ites as he stood on the gallows has sparked outrage across the Arab world.

Iraq's National Security Adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie admits things did not go to plan.

Another Iraqi official says the hanging was supposed to be carried out by hangmen employed by the Interior Ministry, but that militias infiltrated the executioners' team.

Infiltrated? I don't know what's worse, that the government is that brittle that militia members can get into the most secure, most important function that they have undertaken, or that the government can't even admit that the Interior Ministry is full of militia members, despite all the evidence. Hell, Muqtada al-Sadr is holding Saddam's noose!

If everybody were honest with themselves, they'd admit that Iraq is ruled, at least nominally, by the Shiite militia. No wonder the Prime Minister wants to resign his post; negotiating between US interests and Shiite militia interests and "national unity" interests must be exasperating.