Saddam - The Sacrificial Lion

#6 by HP

HP, excuse me ... Saddam was lynched by a Badr Militia mob ... not hanged through due process. You`ve seen the (assumedly cellphone video) proceedings. I`m disappointed you think that was a judicial execution with masked militia types jeering and shouting.

Dear Writer,
Irrespective of what Bush and his cohorts have done in Iraq, Saddam was a tyrant unworthy of any sympathy or respect. One can disagree with the Cnn`s and Bbc`s of this world, but listening to Iraqi expatriates who have chiling stories to tell one could only pray for this man`s death.

The manner in which he was executed is questionable that made him a martyr, a Sunni-Arab legend who stood against the Americans, colonials and Persian`s. That is tragic, for he is not a worthy legend. Then again, Muslim world has shown a penchant for idolzing mass murderers as their heroes, OBL and now Saddam. Why is it that we (muslims) cannot have a Nelson Mandela or Mahatmma Gandhi? Why do we continue to honor dictators, mass murderers, tyrants? Something is wrong in paradise.

This is bizarre!
Trying to justify what Sadam did just because he was hanged? Sadam cannot be a hero no mater what so please stop trying .

#3 by masadi

“Musharraf and his thugs surrendered to Bush upon a mere letter, after peeing in their pants, Saddam had a chance to save himself, his family and his wealth before the war, as ofered by the new colonials, but chose not to, which is worthy of respect”

Should I take this as political analysis or just an emotional outburst? Are you sure Musharaf surrendered in one letter? Perhaps, perhaps he only played his part…Can you consider that possibility?

Saddam never had any chance. It was over for him. Now consider this and I know you are perhaps the only person on this site who can grasp this. He knew it was good for him to die. He never really had any defense.
Sometimes it is better to die hoping that some would still be stupid enough to write a few good words for you.
Most of the dictators are full of it.

Nonsense.

It is like calling Bush , if he meets the same fate, as a Crusader Lion, a representative of devout Christian struggles.

Sorry, every other dictator, mafia don, terrorist, thug and thief who calls himself a Mujahid in order to provide a cover and justification for his crimes and make it look respectable is a slur and an abuse to my faith.

And, a very interesting comment on 29 December by Juan Cole on what Riverbend had written a day earlier:

Riverbend:End of Another Year...

That is Iraq right now. The Americans have done a fine job of working to break it apart. This last year has nearly everyone convinced that that was the plan right from the start. There were too many blunders for them to actually have been, simply, blunders. The `mistakes` were too catastrophic. The people the Bush administration chose to support and promote were openly and publicly terrible- from the conman and embezzler Chalabi, to the terrorist Jaffari, to the militia man Maliki. The decisions, like disbanding the Iraqi army, abolishing the original constitution, and allowing militias to take over Iraqi security were too damaging to be anything but intentional.

The question now is, but why? I really have been asking myself that these last few days. What does America possibly gain by damaging Iraq to this extent? I`m certain only raving idiots still believe this war and occupation were about WMD or an actual fear of Saddam.

Al Qaeda? That`s laughable. Bush has effectively created more terrorists in Iraq these last 4 years than Osama could have created in 10 different terrorist camps in the distant hills of Afghanistan. Our children now play games of `sniper` and `jihadi`, pretending that one hit an American soldier between the eyes and this one overturned a Humvee.

Again, I can`t help but ask myself why this was all done? What was the point of breaking Iraq so that it was beyond repair? Iran seems to be the only gainer. Their presence in Iraq is so well-established, publicly criticizing a cleric or ayatollah verges on suicide. Has the situation gone so beyond America that it is now irretrievable? Or was this a part of the plan all along? My head aches just posing the questions.

What has me most puzzled right now is: why add fuel to the fire? Sunnis and moderate Shia are being chased out of the larger cities in the south and the capital. Baghdad is being torn apart with Shia leaving Sunni areas and Sunnis leaving Shia areas- some under threat and some in fear of attacks. People are being openly shot at check points or in drive by killings… Many colleges have stopped classes. Thousands of Iraqis no longer send their children to school- it`s just not safe.

Why make things worse by insisting on Saddam`s execution now? Who gains if they hang Saddam? Iran, naturally, but who else? There is a real fear that this execution will be the final blow that will shatter Iraq. Some Sunni and Shia tribes have threatened to arm their members against the Americans if Saddam is executed. Iraqis in general are watching closely to see what happens next, and quietly preparing for the worst.

This is because now, Saddam no longer represents himself or his regime. Through the constant insistence of American war propaganda, Saddam is now representative of all Sunni Arabs (never mind most of his government were Shia). The Americans, through their speeches and news articles and Iraqi Puppets, have made it very clear that they consider him to personify Sunni Arab resistance to the occupation. Basically, with this execution, what the Americans are saying is ``Look- Sunni Arabs- this is your man, we all know this. We`re hanging him- he symbolizes you.`` And make no mistake about it, this trial and verdict and execution are 100% American. Some of the actors were Iraqi enough, but the production, direction and montage was pure Hollywood (though low-budget, if you ask me).

My only conclusion is that the Americans want to withdraw from Iraq, but would like to leave behind a full-fledged civil war because it wouldn`t look good if they withdraw and things actually begin to improve, would it?

Juan Cole:Riverbend is Back.

.....I (-) don`t agree that the Bush administration was deliberately trying to break up Iraq. It wants it whole (international corporations like to sign their contracts just once, thank you). It is just that its plan, of putting the Shiites and Kurds in power and making the Sunni Arabs subordinate to them, was never practical and did have the effect of pushing the country toward a break-up.

As always, her comments are canny and give a good sense of what educated, secular Sunni Arabs in Iraq are thinking. It isn`t a position you`d hear in an interview in US corporate media.

It would appear it is what Zeemax had been writing on numerous threads and posts since long, but actually these are the two most respected commentators on the Middle - East situation. Not some lowly chowkie ...

The question is, whether the Americans want Iraq all broken up as Riverbend says, or they want it whole as per Juan Cole. However they both agree that whatever it is, it all according to the original plans.

The author writes <<< Once he found out the game of the U.S. in the Middle East, he refused to play along, sacrificing himself instead of his country >>>

Actually he didn`t guage the US gameplan until it was too late and before that played right into their hands as most gangsters whose turf is increased by their bosses are tempted into doing. The only thing worthy of respect in him was his uncompromising stand at the end, atleast apparently, to his US mentors, which was the reason of his elimination in the manner it occurred. Had he cooperated, even after his capture, I`m sure the US would have found a way to reward him, considering the mess they are in at the present. Musharraf and his thugs surrendered to Bush upon a mere letter, after peeing in their pants, Saddam had a chance to save himself, his family and his wealth before the war, as ofered by the new colonials, but chose not to, which is worthy of respect, and quite brave if you ask me. In this whole tale of gangsters and higher gangsters, and the current gangsters that the US has placed incharge of Iraq, the Iraqi people are the ones that suffer and bravely endure moreso than any Saddam...

Here`s how Riverbend, the girl blogging from inside Iraq places the `execution` in very vivid terms:

A Lynching...

It`s official. Maliki and his people are psychopaths. This really is a new low. It`s outrageous- an execution during Eid. Muslims all over the world (with the exception of Iran) are outraged. Eid is a time of peace, of putting aside quarrels and anger- at least for the duration of Eid.

This does not bode well for the coming year. No one imagined the madmen would actually do it during a religious holiday. It is religiously unacceptable and before, it was constitutionally illegal. We thought we`d at least get a few days of peace and some time to enjoy the Eid holiday, which coincides with the New Year this year. We`ve spent the first two days of a holy holiday watching bits and pieces of a sordid lynching.

America the savior… After nearly four years and Bush`s biggest achievement in Iraq has been a lynching. Bravo Americans.

Maliki has made the mistake of his life. His signature and unhidden glee at the whole execution, especially on the first day of Eid Al Adha (the Eid where millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage to Mecca), will only do more to damage his already tattered reputation. He`s like a vulture in a suit (or a balding weasel). It`s almost embarrassing. I kept expecting Muwafaq Al Rubaii to run over and wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth as he signed for the execution. Are these the people who represent the New Iraq? We`re in so much more trouble than I ever thought.

And no- not the celebrations BBC are claiming. With the exception of a few areas, the streets are empty.

Now we come to CNN. Shame on you CNN journalists- you`re getting lazy. The least you can do is get the last words correct when you write a story about an execution. Your articles are read the world over and will go down in history as references. You people are the biggest news network in the world- the least you can do is spend some money on a decent translator. Saddam`s last words were NOT ``Muqtada Al Sadr`` as Munir Haddad claimed, according to the article below. If anyone had seen at least part of the video they showed on TV, you`d know that.

``A witness, Iraqi Judge Munir Haddad, said that one of the executioners told Hussein that the former dictator had destroyed Iraq, which sparked an argument that was joined by several government officials in the room.

As a noose was tightened around Hussein`s neck, one of the executioners yelled ``long live Muqtada al-Sadr,`` Haddad said, referring to the powerful anti-American Shiite religious leader.

Hussein, a Sunni, uttered one last phrase before he died, saying ``Muqtada al-Sadr`` in a mocking tone, according to Haddad`s account.``

From the video that was leaked, it was not an executioner who yelled ``long live Muqtada al-Sadr``. See, this is another low the Maliki government sunk to- they had some hecklers conveniently standing by during the execution. Maliki claimed they were ``some witnesses from the trial``, but they were, very obviously, hecklers. The moment the noose was around Saddam`s neck, they began chanting, in unison, ``God`s prayers be on Mohamed and on Mohamed`s family…`` Something else I didn`t quite catch (but it was very coordinated), and then ``Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada!`` One of them called out to Saddam, ``Go to hell…`` (in Arabic). Saddam looked down disdainfully and answered ``Heya hay il marjala…?`` which is basically saying, ``Is this your manhood…?``.

Someone half-heartedly called out to the hecklers, ``I beg you, I beg you- the man is being executed!`` They were slightly quieter and then Saddam stood and said, ``Ashadu an la ilaha ila Allah, wa ashhadu ana Mohammedun rasool Allah…`` Which means, ``I witness there is no god but Allah and that Mohammed is His messenger.`` These are the words a Muslim (Sunnis and Shia alike) should say on their deathbed. He repeated this one more time, very clearly, but before he could finish it, he was lynched.

So, no, CNN, his last words were not ``Muqtada Al Sadr`` in a mocking tone- just thought someone should clear that up. (Really people, six of you contributed to that article!)

Then again, one could argue that it was a judge who gave them that false information. A judge on the Iraqi appeals court- one of the judges who ratified the execution order. Everyone knows Iraqi judges under American tutelage never lie- that explains CNN`s confusion.

Muwafaq Al Rubai was said he was ``weak and frightened``. Apparently, Rubai saw a different lynching because according to the video they leaked, he didn`t look frightened at all. His voice didn`t shake and he refused to put on the black hood. He looked resigned to his fate, and during the heckling he looked as defiant as ever. (It`s quite a contrast to Muhsin Abdul Hameed`s public hysterics last year when the Americans raided his home.)

It`s one thing to have militias participating in killings. This is allegedly the democracy the Americans flaunt. Is this how bloodthirsty and frightening we`ve become? Is this what Iraq stands for now? Executions? I`m sure the rest of the Arab countries will be impressed.

One of the most advanced countries in the world did not help to reconstruct Iraq, they didn`t even help produce a decent constitution. They did, however, contribute nicely to a kangaroo court and a lynching. A lynching shall go down in history as America`s biggest accomplishment in Iraq. So who`s next? Who hangs for the hundreds of thousands who`ve died as a direct result of this war and occupation? Bush? Blair? Maliki? Jaffari? Allawi? Chalabi?

2006 has definitely been representative of Maliki and his government- killings like never before and a lynching to end it properly. Death and destruction everywhere. I`m so tired of all of this…

So true ...

He he he!! This is going to be so much fun. I can see Indians, Pakistanis, hindus, muslims, arjuns, mohars, tahmeds, hamdims tearing apart this paindoo fool. Let the games begin....