The death sentence against former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is just a political show put on by the United States, Chinese analysts said.

As the White House hailed as a milestone the decision by an Iraqi court to uphold the death sentence against Saddam Hussein, the verdict could become a flashpoint for many Iraqis, who continue to suffer from the daily chaos and bloodshed unleashed by the US invasion. The verdict could focus their anger on the US's inability to stop violence in the war-torn country, analysts said.

"The date of the execution depends on the needs of different interest groups, especially the White House, rather than the explanation of law," said Ye Qing, deputy director of Middle Eastern Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.