They have now been reprieved, and appear likely to be freed under a complicated face-saving deal.
First, whether Mr Hussein will grab the small face-saving opportunity that is being offered him.
The attorney-general's ruling that there was no evidence of wrongdoing merely provided face-saving cover for his inevitable exit.
Now, all the press must put the posturing and face-saving behind it, accept the new system and move on.
But it is a pity that fear of libel suits - or was it a last sliver of face-saving?
After the Spanish and British foreign ministers met this week, a face-saving compromise was said still to be possible.
ECONOMIST: The two countries want a deal. The people of the colony do not
Then I would go to the next stage and attempt to find a nonviolent, face-saving way out of the problem.
Mr Wolfensohn first yelled at his staff for landing him in this mess, and is now scrabbling for a face-saving compromise.
Spitzer may also be looking to the evidence as a face-saving measure.
In theory, therefore, there is plenty of time (the State Department investigation has no deadline) in which to find a face-saving fudge.
In exchange for the face-saving loan, he relinquished control of his empire.
The British press has offered several face-saving explanations for these serial rudenesses.
The plan to scrap the Philippines' American-style presidential system, and replace it with a parliamentary one, could provide Mrs Arroyo with a face-saving exit.
So, it seems that South Koreans will bite the bullet and, after a healthy portion of the face-saving rhetoric, return to the business of usual.
Dick Parsons is constantly mentioned as a GOP candidate for NYC mayor when Bloomberg is term-limited in 2009, providing Parsons with a face-saving exit strategy.
And everyone is waiting for the Iraq Study Group to come up with a face-saving way for Congress and the White House to come together.
The Japanese emphasis on face-saving then meant the bank could not reverse the policy once it became clear that a serious error had been made.
It is possible that skilled diplomacy may come up with some face-saving way for the republicans to make enough of a gesture to restart the political process.
Ukraine faces three political options: a fresh parliamentary election, a face-saving truce between Mr Yushchenko and Ms Tymoshenko or a new coalition between Ms Tymoshenko and Mr Yanukovich.
He should use the occasion to negotiate a face-saving retreat.
The premise of the October deal was that, offered a face-saving way to come clean and find a better relationship with the West, Iran would quietly drop any weapons ambitions.
ECONOMIST: The Europeans' soft approach to Iran seems to have failed
But even while Mr Purcell remains, a floor under the share price is being provided by speculation that he will arrange a face-saving exit for himself by selling the bank.
But going into something knowing that it is (literally) not a big deal, and that there is a face-saving exit route, is not always the best way to make people hungry for success.
Now, Mr Pfauwadel has struck a face-saving compromise.
ECONOMIST: Derivatives exchanges: First love, then marriage? | The
The possibility is real with President Cristina Fernandez, in the throes of domestic discontent, spiraling inflation and loss of key constituencies deprived of face-saving latitude to comply with the controversial ruling of New York Judge Thomas Griesa.
FORBES: D.C. Chess Playing In 2001 Gave Us The Argentine Crisis In 2012
However many Olympic historians believe that the wily Baron de Coubertin - founder of the modern Olympic movement - used the eruption as a face-saving formula to disguise the fact that the Italians just could not afford to stage the Games.
That said, the present crisis is undoubtedly the most serious the two nations have faced since the 1971 war and even with major international diplomatic input it will still be extremely difficult to find a face-saving formula to allow the protagonists to disengage.
"We will give a more specialised phone service for customers whose affairs can be resolved over the telephone, and face-to-face help to those who need it, visiting them at a place convenient to them, saving them both travel and time, " said Lin Homer, HMRC chief executive.
With Mitchell Johnson at the crease alongside Brad Haddin, Australia face the impossible task of saving the Test - and series - on day four, which is certain to herald huge celebrations from England players and fans alike.
应用推荐