From a young American hailing from those parts:
Put it this way: When he dies you will NOT be the first to find out.
We all think he’s probably dead, and anyway we don’t even care. What is for sure is that he’s gone forever, thank God, and my only regret is that he didn’t get Saddammed.*
* Saddamm, v.tr. To hunt down a war criminal like a rabid dog, throw him in a stinky prison, and then kill him.