Hanging of Saddam upsets Sunnis in Iraq

[CountAllVotes]

By LAUREN FRAYER, Associated Press Writer 15 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Rage over the hanging of
Saddam Hussein spilled into the streets in many parts of the Sunni Muslim heartland Monday, especially in Samarra where a mob of angry protesters broke the locks off the badly damaged Shiite Golden Dome mosque and marched through carrying a mock coffin and photo of the executed former leader.

Sunni extremists had blown apart the glistening dome on the Shiite holy place 10 months earlier, setting in motion the sectarian slaughter that now grips the troubled land.

The U.S. death toll climbed to at least 3,002 by the final day of 2006 as the American military reported the deaths of two more soldiers in an explosion Sunday in Diyala Province, northeast of the capital.

The Samarra protest was particularly significant because it signaled a widening expression of defiance among Sunnis, the minority Muslim sect in Iraq that had enjoyed special status and power under Saddam and had oppressed the now-ascendant Shiite majority for centuries.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_061231235767

[Phredicles]

1. "I don't think anyone could have anticipated..."

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[High Plains]

2. This whole war has been an unholy fuck-up from day one.

Almost as if it were designed to plunge Iraq into sectarian chaos. The taped execution of Saddam Hussein courtesy of our allies/enemies the militant Shia was a disgusting spectacle. And we thought the Sunnis were pissed off before...

[CountAllVotes]

3. yep, a whole pandora's box is now wide open

this whole disgusting event has only added fuel to a raging fire.

It sickens me! :puke:

:dem:

[ckramer]

4. Crowds protest Saddam hanging in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Enraged crowds protested the hanging of Saddam Hussein across Iraq's Sunni heartland Monday, as a mob in Samara broke the locks off a bomb-damaged Shiite shrine and marched through carrying a mock coffin and photo of the dictator.

Sunnis were not only outraged by Saddam's hurried execution, just four days after an appeals court upheld his conviction and sentence. Many were also incensed by the unruly scene in the execution chamber, captured on video, in which Saddam was taunted with chants of "Muqtada, Muqtada, Muqtada."

The chants referred to Muqtada al-Sadr, a firebrand Shiite cleric who runs one of Iraq's most violent religious militias. He is a major power behind the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Many Sunnis are also upset that Saddam was put to death the day that Sunni celebrations began for Eid al-Ahda, a major Muslim festival. The judge who first presided over the case that resulted in Saddam's death sentence said the former dictator's execution at the start of Eid was illegal according to Iraqi law, and contradicted Islamic custom.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[Fridays Child]

5. Outrage is simmering among the Sunni population in Iraq.

This isn't going to be good for Iraqis or for American soldiers.

[Ezlivin]

6. Damn, can't these Iraqis ever be satisfied?

Hey, it's not every country that gets democracy delivered right to its doorstep.

A lot of countries would be grateful that American soldiers were patrolling the streets and having top-notch companies like Halliburton and KBR draining out that gooey oil.

[lostnotforgotten]

7. Article Has The Facts Wrong - See Chart

Sunnis outnumber the Shiites

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. That doesn't take into account population density

In Iraq Shiites constitute about 55-60 percent of the population.

[lostnotforgotten]

9. The Major Point Is That Shiites Are The Minority Muslim Sect World Over

By choosing to hang Saddam on a holy day, the Bush administration has just outraged the Sunnis (Saudis) and more Americans will die as a result.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Right. Which is why only Iran was celebrating his hanging

I'm misunderstood your point. I thought you were referring to the population of Iraq, rather than the ME as a whole.

[Kagemusha]

12. It took real effort to make this kosher for Shiites and an insult to Sunnis

but the Maliki government was up to the task.

...I vaguely remember that Sadr had demanded a quick hanging, on Friday, ahead of BOTH holidays. Didn't happen though, and the result makes the Maliki government look about the worst possible worldwide. (And it should. The result was embarassing.)

[malaise]

14. Don't forget Maliki snubbed Bush

in Jordon. I have long suggested that he write his will. He's next.

[independentpiney]

10. Overall Sunnis are the majority

Iraq is 60% Shia however, and afaik the only middle eastern country/provincial region with a Shia majority historically ruled by Sunnis. It was a flashpoint between the Ottoman and Safavid Persian empires and changed hands a few times, but was most often under Sunni Ottoman control.

[SOS]

20. Shiites are the majority in Iraq.

nt

[Virginia Dare]

13. This is a very early nomination...

for the most ridiculous headline of the year. Nothing against the OP, I know you were posting the news headline.

[mzmolly]

15. Ya think?

Huh? :sarcasm:

[Say_What]

16. ..."precision point target machine gun fire,"

but six people are dead. Kinda like shock and awe--it'll be over in a minute bullshit. I got a feeling things are gonna get much, much worse.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[rodeodance]

17. Angry Sunnis march, Saddam video inquiry promised

Angry Sunnis march, Saddam video inquiry promised

By Claudia Parsons 1 hour, 29 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Hundreds of Sunni Arabs gathered to show their anger and grief for
Saddam Hussein on Tuesday as the Iraqi government promised an investigation into illicitly filmed footage of Shi'ite officials taunting him on the gallows.


The sectarian passions that have pushed Iraq toward civil war could be further inflamed by the video of the execution, apparently shot on a mobile phone, showing people chanting the name of Shi'ite cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr.

As President Bush pondered a new strategy for the unpopular war, new figures from the Iraqi Interior Ministry showed the number of civilians killed in political violence reached a record high in December.

Hailed by Washington as a milestone for Iraqi democracy, Saddam's execution seems to have deepened sectarian divisions.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070102/ts_nm/iraq_dc

[fasttense]

18. Well duh,

"Saddam's execution seems to have deepened sectarian divisions." No kidding, who would have guessed?
:sarcasm:

[wakeme2008]

19. Second DUH... and who would have Guess that somebody would

video tape the hanging...