President George W. Bush’s statement on Saddam Hussein’s execution: “I talked to Prime Minister Maliki about the videotape that was released during the execution of Saddam Hussein. He said he’s going to fully investigate what happened. I appreciate that very much. One thing is for certain: A horrific chapter in Iraqi history has been closed, and now we’re talking about a more hopeful chapter for the Iraqi people. And that’s what I spent most of my time talking to him about…
My personal reaction is, is that Saddam Hussein was given a trial that he was unwilling to give the thousands of people he killed. He was given a fair trial — something he was unwilling to give thousands of Iraqi citizens, who he brutalized. I wish, obviously, that the proceedings had been done in a more dignified way. But, nevertheless, he was given justice; the thousands of people he killed were not.”
– Transcript, “President Bush Welcomes Chancellor Merkel of Germany to the White House,” George W. Bush – White House Archives online, Jan 4, 2007