Iraq to name president Wednesday

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Ousted dictator Saddam Hussein will watch from his Baghdad jail cell as Iraq's newly elected parliament chooses a new president Wednesday, the next step in building Iraq's first democratically elected government in 50 years, Iraqi officials said.\nLawmakers put the finishing touches Tuesday on an agreement making Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani president and Shiite Adel Abdul-Mahdi and interim President Ghazi al-Yawer, a Sunni Arab, his two vice presidents.\nOn Thursday, the 275 lawmakers elected Jan. 30 likely will name Shiite leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari prime minister, clearing the way for lawmakers to begin focusing their attention on writing a permanent constitution by their Aug. 15 deadline.\nThe new interim government will lay the foundation for future elections and a permanent government -- all key to an eventual U.S. withdrawal.\nInterim Vice President Rowsch Nouri Shaways said Saddam will be able to see the parliamentary session from his jail cell, although it was unclear if the broadcast will be live or taped. U.S. military officials declined to comment.\n"This is a very important session because this is the first time in Iraq's history that the president and his deputies are elected in a legitimate and democratic way by the Iraqi people," he said. "That's why the Iraqi government thought it would be beneficial that the former dictator see this unique process."\nAs U.S. officials have begun slowly to return control of the troubled nation to Iraqi security and government officials, insurgents are targeting Iraqis along with U.S. troops.\nIn one tape posted Tuesday by the terrorist group al-Qaida in Iraq, a man in his 20s, identified as Iraqi soldier Jassim Mohammed Hussein Mahdi, was beheaded for working with the U.S.-allied government.