Baghdad Burning…..
This is the title of a blog written by a native Iraqi who has lived through the war and occupation, but is now forced to leave Iraq because of the growing violence.
He/she has some very interesting insights about what is happening in Iraq and they break everything down like only a native would. I’ve said before that one should never underestimate the geographic and cultural ignorance of a typical American (these people no very little about the outside world). This Iraqi blogger has some very interesting things to say about Saddam Hussein’s last words before his was sent to the gallows. The Chicken Noodle Network, CNN, got it all wrong: An English /Arabic translation is provided on the correct words that Hussein actually uttered. Very interesting…
I quote from Baghdad Burning:
“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 this article. {The quote from the afromentioned article follows} (“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.”). If anyone had seen at least part of the video they showed on TV, you’d know that.
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!).”
The disaster that is Iraq continues….
