On the Gallows, Curses for U.S. and ‘Traitors’ (Executioners = Mahdi Army)

[wellst0nev0ter]

BAGHDAD, Dec. 30 — Saddam Hussein never bowed his head, until his neck snapped.

His last words were equally defiant.

“Down with the traitors, the Americans, the spies and the Persians.”

<snip>

The room was quiet as everyone began to pray, including Mr. Hussein. “Peace be upon Mohammed and his holy family.”

Two guards added, “Supporting his son Moktada, Moktada, Moktada.”

Mr. Hussein seemed a bit stunned, swinging his head in their direction.

They were talking about Moktada al-Sadr, the firebrand cleric whose militia is now committing some of the worst violence in the sectarian fighting; he is the son of a revered Shiite cleric, Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr, whom many believe Mr. Hussein ordered murdered.

“Moktada?” he spat out, mixing sarcasm and disbelief.

<snip>

Two witnesses, apparently uninvolved in selecting the guards, exchanged a quiet joke, saying they gathered that the goal of disbanding the militias had yet to be accomplished.


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/31/world/middleeast/31gallows.html?ex=1325221200&en=472db6e3e903fcbd&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[keopeli]

1. I read from the AP his last words were the prayer, and "Mohammad"

Bloodthirst makes these rags like the NYT turn brutal every time they get the chance.

His last words, even according to THIS ARTICLE, was his prayer. Yet, they say "his last words were "Down with...the Americans..."

[silverojo]

10. On the video I saw

Saddam's last words were definitely the prayer. Right after he said the word "Muhammed", he was hanged. The AP has it right...those claiming otherwise are probably Bush-bots.

[EFerrari]

11. And this story turns out to be fictions.

NYTs, most read fiction writers in the country.

[MrPrax]

2. nice post...

earlier we read this piece from the NYT.

AmazingLy Insightful:

“Moktada?” he spat out, mixing sarcasm and disbelief.


Do all American journalists write Hollywood 'narratives' about wars?

Do we have to read it?

[wellst0nev0ter]

3. Hell, You Can Watch It

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=863ce7d4a3 (warning: graphic)

not everything is propoganda.

[boston bean]

4. Video shows taunts at execution

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6220829.stm


The grainy images are believed to have been filmed on a mobile phone.

Unlike on the silent, official film showing a subdued Saddam Hussein, the execution is a charged, angry scene.

In it people chant the name of radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and tell Saddam Hussein to "go to hell", while the former leader mocks their bravery.

And unlike the official film, which was released on Saturday, the new video shows the moment that the gallows trapdoor opens, sending Saddam Hussein to his death.

[saigon68]

5. Nice touch The Chimp got his moment in the Sun

Now he can brag he killed the Islamic for JayZeus

[boston bean]

6. It's only going to make matters worse for our soldiers. This will

escalate the war, I believe.

A question that keeps gnawing at me is why, why now, what was the rush?

I guess I aint smart enough to figure it out, but if someone could give me an idea, I would appreciate it.

[ama]

7. why now?

Saddam would have turned 70 in april Iraqi law forbids executing over 70s

[magellan]

8. If you're talking about the civil war our troops are stuck in the middle of

...I don't think it could get much more escalated.

I've heard several reasons for the rush. The one that sounds like common sense, but doesn't really stand up to scrutiny, is that the Iraqi puppet gov't was afraid delaying the execution might provoke more violence. Like "more violence" is quantifiable in the middle of the bloodbath going on there.

As for the chants from Saddam's masked escorts praising Moqtada to him...I'm sure every red-blooded patriotic American will be pleased to know we gave a sect of radical Islamists who've killed many of our soldiers something to cheer about.

[OKIsItJustMe]

9. "Why now, what was the rush?" - Politics

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/31/FUTURE.TMP

...

Al-Maliki led the push for a quick hanging by saying last month that he expected Hussein to be executed by the end of the year, at a time when American officials were predicting that a strict adherence to legal procedures -- including a much longer appeal process than the three weeks taken by the Iraqi judges -- might delay the hanging until the spring.

...

Looks like Al-Maliki met his self-imposed deadline. He's apparently attempting to prove (among other things) that he is a man of action, and that he is not the puppet of the U.S. Government.

"I consider myself a friend of the U.S., but I'm not America's man in Iraq."

[saigon68]

12. He is a puppet like Karzai

[umtalal]

15. When I saw Maliki signing the death certification I knew

he will be next. Maliki's days are numbered.

[ckramer]

13. By hanging Saddam, Iraqi Shiites government just hangs itself

My prediction.

[Briar]

14. Riverbend

has corrected the mistranslations here. It's worth checking her blog at:

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

"...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!)"

Of coures Riverbend is only an Iraqi and not the mighty NYT.

[burrowowl]

16. I was just about to give a reference to

Riverbend's translation. CNN got it wrong at first too.

Jeez don't journalist verify anything anymore?

:grr:

[Tempest]

17. The video proves the Times got it completely wrong

As has been pointed out by several sources already.