The US President and the Iraqi Prime Minister have agreed during a phone call that an investigation into the handling of Saddam Hussein's execution is the "right thing to do".
US President George W Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki spoke for almost two hours on Thursday (local time).
White House spokesman Tony Snow says the US President backs a decision to investigate the uproar at Saddam's hanging.
"He expressed that it was the right thing to do to, investigate the taping and the behaviour at the execution of Saddam Hussein," Mr Snow said.
The images, which show observers yelling "go to hell" and chanting the name of a radical Shiite cleric before Saddam falls through the trap, have sparked angry demonstrations by Saddam's fellow Sunnis - fearful of Shiite ascendancy.
Moderate Sunnis say it deals a blow to Mr Maliki's call for reconciliation. etc etc