Posted on 12/30/2006 6:44:53 PM PST by aculeus
THE knock on the door came just before 6am. Saddam Hussein’s executioners were disguised with black balaclavas.
He spent his last minutes yesterday in the sordid bowels of Iraqi military intelligence headquarters, once home to his own torturers and killers.
Just as the dawn call to prayer was beginning over the city, he was led, shambling in leg irons, to the scaffold to pay the price for his crimes against the Iraqi people.
“We took him to the gallows room and he looked like he wondered what was going on,” said Mowaffak al-Rubaie, the Iraqi government’s national security adviser, who saw him die. “He looked at the gallows not believing what was going to happen.”
[big snip]
“He said, ‘We’re going to heaven, and our enemies will rot in hell’.
“When he was taken to the gallows, the guards tried to put a hood on his head, but he refused. Then he recited verses from the Koran. Some of the guards started to taunt him.”
The guards chanted the name of the Shi’ite firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. “Who is Moqtada?” — Saddam sneered.
“A cleric who was present asked Saddam to recite some spiritual words,” Haddad said. “Saddam did so, but with sarcasm. These were his last words, and then the cord tightened around his neck and he dropped to his death.”
Copyright 2006 Times Newspapers Ltd.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
A sick comparison. Saddam was hung by volunteers who served justice upon him. Not cowardly murderous terrorists who sawed the head off a captive innocent. This is simply an idiotic statement, IMHO. Sad to think there are those who can't tell the difference. Worse to think some of them are elected Democrats.
The executioners were not part of the government. As I understand, they were volunteers, who had family killed by Saddam. It was apparently one guard who yelled Moqtada.
BTW we will never finish the war in Iraq or Afghanistan as long as Iran remains untouched. Without Iran the Hezbullies and Sadrists would be nothing.
That is disturbing. Apparently, the guards believe Mookie's their man. It's bad news that Mookie's a rock star in the inner sanctum of the Iraqi government. I fear we have won a battle but lost the war (in Iraq).
I was about to post something similar, but you pretty well summed it up. The world is a better place now that Saddam is gone, but Iraq is falling into the hands of Shia religious extremists.
Having Saddam hung by men chanting the name of their spiritual leader is a huge victory for al-Sadr, and a poor sign for the hopes of a democratic, secular Iraq.
May not be as sick a comparison as it looks. It's good that Saddam is dead, no doubt. It's not good that he died at the hands of what appears to be a Shia death squad from the Madhi army. That's symbolism that might be lost on the average American, but speaks volumes to the average Iraq.
The followers of Muqtada al-Sadr have slain the old king. What does that make them? What does that make al-Sadr?
Nah, I think his last words were: "Right after this I have an interview with Bob Woodward...."
Looks like Jack Black with a beard...........
There he will be met with Hillary look alikes.
Ahhh man...
This is just friggin' terrible...
You'd think someone would have at least hummed the theme from Jeopardy or something before pulling the lever...
Taunting him...Is this what they have sunk too???
I'll take "Sudden stops at the end of a fall" for $200 Alex...
/big time, long coming, sarcasm
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