Iraqis Not Celebrating Saddam's Birthday

Saddam's 67th birthday went uncelebrated today in his hometown of Tikrit , residents of the Iraqi town reported. During the years that the former dictator was in power, "the government organized festivals throughout Iraq on his birthday." Last year, as ordered by Saddam's regime, 200 Iraqis gathered in Tikrit to celebrate before being dispersed by US soldiers.

At an undisclosed location near Baghdad, Saddam reportedly tried to carry on the tradition of ordering those around him to celebrate his birthday. His FBI and CIA interrogators responded by presenting him with a birthday cake complete with "trick candles." Saddam is reported to have made several attempts to blow out the candles, but was forced to stop after a candle caught his colossal beard on fire.