Was the timing of the execution during Haj and Eid wise?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

Saddam Hussein was executed at the time of one of the most holy days of the Muslim calendar--Eid al-Ahda, and the time of Pilgrimage. There are mixed reactions in the Muslim world about the timing, with some Shia and Kurds saying it was good, while Sunnis tend to be like these folks interviewed for a yahoo news article called "Arab haj pilgrims outraged at Saddam execution".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/iraq_saddam_haj_dc

Some excerpts:

"His execution on the day of Eid ... is an insult to all Muslims," said Jordanian pilgrim Nidal Mohammad Salah. "What happened is not good because as a head of state, he should not be executed."

The Eid al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, marks biblical patriarch Abraham's willingness to kill his son for God. Muslim countries often pardon criminals to mark the feast, and prisoners are rarely executed at that time.

The death could harden hatred for Shi'ite Muslims in Saudi Arabia, a bastion of Sunni Islam whose Islamic orthodoxy -- known as Wahhabism -- regards Shi'ites as virtual heretics.

"This timing was chosen to turn our joy during Eid to sadness. I don't say this for grief over Saddam ... but we must ready ourselves for a new enemy from the East," a user on an Islamist Web site said, referring to Shi'ites in Iran.

Is Bush showing an anti-Islam streak by doing this? Or is he just stupid? Or is his plan to get a major religious war between Sunni and Shia started?

Edited to make topic of thread clearer.

[CJCRANE]

1. Bush is Pro-Bush.

I assume the timing has more to do with this being the weekend before the new Congress starts than anything else.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. You could be right

he tends to be concerned only with how actions benefit him, and not about the greater picture. Of course the PNAC folks would love a Sunni-Shia war to destablize the area.

[beam me up scottie]

2. Good question.

Very good question.

I think he's anti-human.

But he does exhibit appalling ignorance and arrogance when it comes to respecting the customs and cultures of non-christians, both domestic and foreign.


Wow, they're talking about this right now on NPR.

This holiday will now bring further division in Iraq from now on.


Way to go, bush.

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. Anti anyone who might get in his way.

[Selah]

17. Bonhomme Richard - interesting.

I saw that ship commissioned in my home town.

[Bonhomme Richard]

27. LOL, you must be really old.

Kidding, I know it's an amphibious assault ship.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Would he not have to know something about something

to be for or against it? He is a neoconservative who enjoys killing people with no concern for consequence or outcome. I am incredibly serious in that statement. To prove my thought, just ask a "Christian" if george bush is a "christian." Their ignorance is deep, intense and divisive to our country.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. No concern for consequences

I think you are right, Boss, and that is what worries me most.

[msongs]

6. there is no obvious connection between bush and this post

bush is not mentioned.

there is nothing here indicating bush could be anti-muslim

what's the point?

makes some muslims sound irrational actually. these guys quoted are easily insulted evidently and I question whether a jordanian pilgrim actually speaks for "..all muslims."

the "user" quoted from the islamist web site must be clairvoyant and all knowin and seeing to say "This timing was chosen to turn our joy during Eid to sadness." How does he/she know this is actually a true motive?

Personally I am ambivalent about this hanging. if we could remove our own war criminals, that would be good, but peacefully through the political process.

Msongs
www.msongs.com

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. At this point, do true motives matter?

Perception is as important here, because the perception of bias on the part of Americans can and I believe will be used to stir up feelings around the Muslim world.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

18. Please note-edited

for clarity. Title changed and more added at the bottom of OP.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. Nothing said there supports the questions asked

- Bush did not set the execution date, muslims did
- Not all muslims agree on when Eid starts

Japan hanged 4 criminals on Christmas Day. No outcry of sacrilidge or any of that...scacely a mention that it even happened in the MSM, nothing from the "international community" or UN. Note that the Japanese use a winch, not a trap door. Yet execute a mass murder who was muslim in name only near Eid and all of a sudden its big fat hairy deal. Makes me want to draw cartoons of their prophet enjoying pig races while eating pork BBQ.


Clearly I am having a day of it here with all the nonsense on CNN etc for the last 24 hours...they and I just need to let it go.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. If you want pig races

be sure to read the article about the fellow who sold his land to Muslims who wished to build a mosque and then got mad about it....

[Solo_in_MD]

21. Actually I have been following that for some time

That is not at all what happened

[beam me up scottie]

31. Um, yes, that IS what happened.

I've been to that hatemonger's site and read the comments posted by the locals.

How anybody can remain indifferent to religious bigotry of that magnitude escapes me.

But, after reading your other comments about muslims, I'm not surprised.

I take back what I said about you being like me, we're NOTHING alike.

I don't support religious bigotry OF ANY KIND.

And anyone who does, is no better than Phelps, Falwell and the rest of their kind.

[beam me up scottie]

13. I hope at least you're an equal opportunity anti-theist.

Like I am. :)

[Selah]

14. Thank you for the clarification, nice to see someone with some sense

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

19. Please note, OP edited

title changed and more added for clarity.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. Please explain how the Japanese executions

is a clear analogy. Japan is not a Christian nation. These executions were not broadcast across the globe, by your own admission. I don't know if any of the 4 executed were Christians, or leaders of any minority Christian sect in Japan.

Iraq is a majority Muslim nation. Towards the end of his life, Saddam was talking more and more like a Muslim, and he does still have followers in his country. If factions in Iraq choose to, they can call his death a martyrdom (especially with the remarks made by the executioners, which were pro-Sadr)for the Sunni. This action, timed when it was, and with the words said by the executioners, could lead to more violence against Americans in Iraq. For this reason alone, we should be paying attention not only to what we do but how we do it.

[Selah]

23. Interestingly Enough!

The Japanese Executors who were found guilty of beheading many US Naval Servicemen (including those nine aboard the PBY No. 08233) Catalina, claimed to be "good christians" when placed on trial for their war crimes. Source - Michael Goodwin's "Shobun"

[GreenTea]

11. Bush hates ALL who are not fundamentalist Christians.....

Because those fundamentalist Christian leaders are fascist and share the same world conquest and monetary ideology as Bush and the republican neocon fascist....And good fundamentalist encourage and create good Christian soldiers to fight wars for corporations, republican presidents and fundamentalist leaders...NO QUESTIONS asked...But in this case the MUSLIM world happens to be sitting on a shitload of oil...that Bush believes belongs to BushCo (Christian might makes right in his eyes)...If it were Buddhist sitting on all that oil...the Buddhist would be the hated ones of the day...Bush is an equal opportunity hate monger. He hates those who have riches he wants!

[Selah]

12. Good Points msongs

Do not be deceived into thinking there is anything to be done to appease the extremist muslims, nor should there be. The conflict with political Islam did not start on 9-11, it began in 1979.

[GreenTea]

15. Thanks!

I agree.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

16. But is it wise to act

in such a way that is sure to inflame tempers in an area that is already in flames?

What I see coming out of this is a Sunni - Shia battle, with those who would be moderates shoved aside. I can't fathom why Bush would really want this destablization right now, because it would endanger more oil fields, namely those in Saudi Arabia.

Until we have alternative energy production in the US, what we do with people in countries with oil will seriously effect our economy.

[GreenTea]

24. Our economy? What economy?

Ten trillion dollars in debt....Our country is driven by the whims of oil and it's production...Our economy is in the worst shape in history by far because of worrying about how oil is going to affect us...We have absolute zero, no alternative energy program in the US and now since disbanded by Reagan in 1981 we would be starting all over again from scratch if the newly elected Dem congress wants and can get legislation passed for alternative energy programs, decades away from any real impact...don't hold your breath...You can't see why Bush wants destabilization? You write as if you believe Bush is a rational perceptive being and not completely & blindly goal driven for profits and oil...no better way to add more troops than creating more chaos and unrest in the region, no better way to go after Iran than blaming the destabilization on Iran...Saudi Arabian oil then becomes even more valuable and even more reason to add more troops to protect "our friend" & major oil producers fields. It's all about controlling the flow...and at what price for maximum profit..

I guess if we had an efficient national alternative energy producing program in place it would be OK?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

25. So you are saying

it is all about oil, controlling the flow--but for whom does Bush want this?

If we had alternative energy, would Americans be over there in harm's way?

[CJCRANE]

26. Um...

B*sh doesn't work for America and Americans, you should've figured that out by now.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

28. That's not what I ask

who DOES he work for? In other words, is he more beholden to the Saudis or to the multinationals? If the latter, which ones that don't also have Saudis on the Board of Directors?

[CJCRANE]

29. Satan.

But seriously, I think originally the Iraq project suited a number of different interests, some Saudi, some arab monarchies, some Israeli, some multinationals and they all came on board to support it.

Trouble is B*sh got carried away with the whole power and sadism thing (you know torture, renditions etc), the result being that the puppet has cut his strings and no-one controls him any more - not Poppy nor the Saudis nor the paleocons nor the original neocons, he's just a loose cannon.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

30. that makes me more worried than ever

If Bush has run amok, who will stop him?

[Demeter]

22. It Was the Ultimate Friday Night News Dump.

I think they should have held off until Bush's War Crimes Trial. But with any luck, Saddam's brothers now know where the evidence is, and all is not lost.

The entire episode was disgusting and immoral, IMO. The timing is just in the same mold.

[Danger Mouse]

32. Bush? Anti-Islam?

Perish the thought! :freak: You mean he DOESN'T like Muslims?
I think he's just a boorish asshole who doesn't care who he pisses off.