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(Pentagon-AP) -- Whether or not Saddam Hussein is still alive -- the Pentagon says it looks like some key elements of his Republican Guard are still functioning.
And Major General Stanley McChrystal tells reporters at the Pentagon that the elite troops appear to be following orders from someone -- perhaps from Saddam himself.
But he says in many cases, the Republican Guard isn't able to follow those orders -- so "they're not an effective fighting force."
Still, he says it looks like Saddam may still be in control of elements of the guard -- as well as some death squads.
Pentagon officials say they can't tell whether Saddam was killed by heavy bombs that were dropped yesterday on buildings in Baghdad.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
