Alas, A Martyr Is Created

For quite some time now a debate has constantly ran the gamut of discussion involving Saddam: Will executing him do little more then make him a martyr?

I have always taken the side that has stated that Saddams death would cause him to be 'martyred' in the eyes of his supporters (and more specifically certain Sunni groups/individuals who violantly oppose the Shiites). The idea being that his death would become one more reason to fuel the fire of hate between these two groups.

Well, now it seems that we have our answer. Our answer is a profound yes.

‘The death of a holy warrior’
But people in the Sunni-dominated city of Tikrit, once a power base of Saddam, lamented his death.

“The president, the leader Saddam Hussein is a martyr and God will put him along with other martyrs. Do not be sad nor complain because he has died the death of a holy warrior,” said Sheik Yahya al-Attawi, a cleric at Saddam Big Mosque.

Police blocked the entrances to Tikrit and said nobody was allowed to leave or enter the city for four days. Despite the security precaution, gunmen took into the street of Tikrit in spite of the curfew carrying pictures of Saddam and shooting into the air and calling for vengeance on Saddam’s execution.

Security forces also set up roadblocks at the entrance to another Sunni stronghold, Samarra, and a curfew was imposed after about 500 people took to the streets protesting the execution of Saddam.

A couple hundred people also protested the execution just outside the Anbar capital of Ramadi, many carrying pictures of Saddam.

More than 2,000 people, many carrying weapons, demonstrated in Adwar, a village south of Tikrit where Saddam was captured by U.S. troops hiding in an underground bunker. It is also the hometown of Saddam’s former No. 2, Izzat Ibrahim, who is still at large.

Source

On a similar note I have a bit of speculative thinking: Violant attacks and bombings have, sadly, become the 'every day' in Iraq.

With that said, a bombing taking place shortly after Saddams death can not be automatically considered 'retaliation'.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A bomb planted on a minibus killed 31 people in a fish market in a mostly Shiite town south of Baghdad on Saturday, while police imposed curfews in some Sunni areas to prevent any outbreak of violence after Saddam Hussein’s execution.

Source

And, because it occured in a prodominently Shiite area on the eve of an important religious holiday, it could be seen as an opurtunity killing; hundreds of people would be celebrating in the square and therefor could be seen as an 'easy target' for a high casualty attack.

I am not saying it is either option -retaliation or oppurtunity killing. I am, however, leaning towards the latter of the two.

Very tragic what is going on in Iraq, our government has traded one evil for another one trying to find one that will be friendly to the powers and interest behind this war.

Our government through history in the name of money and profits tend to care less about nations populations as long as the leaders in power be despotic, tyrants or feudal monarchies are friendly to our government.

This is the end of an era. A necessary step to establish a free, democratic Iraq. Bravo.

Originally posted by spines
Will executing him do little more then make him a martyr?

The only people calling him a martyr are his tribesmen in Tikrit. All others are either silent or dancing for joy in the streets. Any talk of him becoming a 'martyr' and therefore the Iraqis should have let him live, is coming from the left-wing anti-American Euroists. I think they WANT him to be called a martyr. Almost all Iraqis know better then them. Thank God.

It wasn't until I saw the all convenient news about Saddam's death with him ready to be hang . . .

That I felt a very bad feeling or despair, desolation and regret.

When I get feelings like that . . . that are alien to my nature or not related to me. . .

It means that a very bad thing was done . . . and it doesn't has to do nothing with the person that has been killed or about to be kill. . .

It has to do with the nature and reason for a death or termination of life. . .

I felt a shadow falling over us. . . as a nation.

And like I said . . . it has nothing to do with the person in the matter . . .

But more of the nature of the reason of the killing.

If is a creator in heavens . . . we sure are going to need it now as a nation.

The killing of Saddam no matter if he was the worst criminal in the world. . .

Our nation now had his blood in its hand and should never have allowed to happen.

He should have been better as an example . . . no as a martyr.



[edit on 30-12-2006 by marg6043]

Originally posted by DeadEagle
This is the end of an era. A necessary step to establish a free, democratic Iraq. Bravo.

And who is to say that a democratic government is what is needed in that region of the planet?

Who is to say that the area is ready for the type government that we push onto it?

Oh well, lets see how it pans out I suppose.