Palestinians mark 'black day' of Saddam capture; Hamas: U.S. will pay

[drdon326]

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/371883.html

Disbelief and gloom seized many Palestinians on Sunday at news of Saddam Hussein's capture while Israel, which came under Iraqi Scud missile attack in the 1991 Gulf War, hailed the United States for capturing Saddam.

The former Iraqi ruler was a hero to many Palestinians for his stand against Israel and its U.S. ally, as well as for giving financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and others who died in a three-year-old uprising.

For Israel, he was a menace over the horizon who long bankrolled the enemy and the Iraqi leader rained at least 30 Scud missiles on Israeli cities during the 1991 Gulf War.

"It's a black day in history," said Sadiq Husam, 33, a taxi driver in Ramallah, West Bank seat of the Palestinian Authority.

"I am saying so not because Saddam is an Arab, but because he is the only man who said 'no' to American injustice in the Middle East," he said.

...................................................................

lol

as usual, yassir picked the wrong horse.

[Maple]

1. Actually

I believe you have.

[Muddleoftheroad]

2. Huh?

You mean you are unhappy we captured Saddam?

Personally, I am pleased, all the more so because the terrorists are not.

[Maple]

4. Well for one thing

you didn't capture Saddam.

and for another thing...this story has what to do with 911 or the Israeli situation?

You have jumbled a lot of unconnected things together in your mind.

[Muddleoftheroad]

23. We

We did. Not I. Personally, I was probably napping when it happened. However, if you don't think out tax dollars had something to do with it, you are mistaken.

They are our military. Hence, we.

I didn't connect the things in this thread, the lovely terrorists did.

[cantwealljustgetalong]

27. muddle obviously meant the collective 'we' and is not jumbling anything...

'we' are not sensing some thinly veiled disappointment here are 'we'?...

[bluesoul]

28. Who should be disappointed here at DU?

Are you implying something maybe?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bluesoul]

30. Hey, I lived

among them for 4 years. I can believe they'r happy to be rid of Saddam (with the exception of those in Tikrit and other parts of Iraq that still respect him)...

[drdon326]

31. I'm fascinated...

you lived in Iraq for 4 years??

[bluesoul]

32. Yep, from 1982-1986

When US administration members (Rumsfeld) were paying Sadam friendly visits.

[drdon326]

33. Well ...

i will ask...did you get to meet Saddam or his upstanding
sons??

[bluesoul]

34. Nope

I had nothing to do with them nor would I wish so. I was only a kid at the time visiting Baghdad International School...

[drdon326]

35. So....

did you meet any Iraqi babes??....I'm just kidding.

I couldnt help myself, mods.

[bluesoul]

36. Actually I did meet plent of Iraqi babes and dudes

of all ages. As I did make friends with a hell lot of people from all parts of the world that visited Baghdad International School (Americans, Australians, Europeans, Africans, Asians you name it) My class was formed of 17 different nationalities from all continents and various religions and races... I had the fun of my time there Don, believe it or not ;)

[number6]

10. Oh, I don' t know, terrorists might be happy he's gone

"more so because the terrorists are not."

all the resouces we've spent in Iraq, that havn't been
used elsewhere, to track down Al Queda ...

and the propaganda factor , American Occupation in Iraq
,..recruiting tool

[Muddleoftheroad]

24. Well, he funded them

So I kinda think they are not happy.

[Darranar]

18. Hmm...

Personally, I am pleased, all the more so because the terrorists are not.

I am not at all convinced that that is the case (that the terrorists are not pleased). There still are a large number of unanswered questions involved in this whole matter. What are the factions fighting against US occupation in Iraq? What are the relationships between those factions, if any? Which, if any, of the factions were comprised of Saddam loyalists? How much influence did Saddam have on these factions? Did he have communications with any of them?

The administration's answer, that there essentially is a great, evil, alliance comprised of Saddam loyalists and Islamists determined to ruin Iraq and destroy the US, has great holes in it. First, there is the fact that Al Qaeda and similar Islamist groups have no love for Saddam Hussein, and he no love for them. Such a relationship also existed between Saddam and the Shiites. It is possible that such opposition was dropped in the face of a greater enemy, but if Saddam was the major force behind all of this, why was he hiding in a house in Tikrit, unguarded? If he had a major position in the forces attacking the US in Iraq, it seems likely that the US would have faced considerable resistance in capturing him. As it was, no shots were fired.

If there is considerable friction between foreign Islamist groups such as Al Qaeda and Saddam loyalists, as seems likely, and Saddam also played a part in commanding Saddam loyalists, then the terrorist groups could well be happy that he has been captured. Ideologically, of course they are happy that Saddam has been captured; as I mentioned above, Saddam was hated by the Islamic terrorists. However, that he has been captured by the evil Satan of the US will almost certainly make a difference.

Additionally, if the Islamists and Saddam loyalists were both attempting to exploit the anti-American views of the populace (which are strong, 'liberation' or no) a weakening of the Saddam loyalists could be good news for them. If they can be seen as fighting the US occupation harder, they will likely attract more support for their cause.

Also, if this news considerably increases anti-American sentiment in the West Bank and Gaza or elsewhere, that would be good news for the Islamic fundamentalists. This does seem to be happening to some extent.

All of that said, support for an American military action is not likely to be advertised. Rather, the action will likely be condemned and exploited.

On the other hand, it seems plausible that Saddam did have some hand in the organization of Saddam loyalists. It also seems plausible that in the face of a greater enemy, some amount of cooperation exists between the Islamists and Saddam loyalists. If this is true, then, as you say, it is likely that the Islamists are not pleased by the news.

On edit: If Saddam had little or no power or control over anything, it is also likely that his capture is good for the Islamic fundamentalists; though it will have no effect on the immediate situation on the ground, it can be spun (though too accurately for comfort) as the evil hand of US imperialism interfering in the Arab world.

[drdon326]

3. Thats funny....

.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[number6]

5. I don't think Saddam cared about the Palestinians at all

they souldn't feel sad about his demise

but bush and sharon might miss thier boogie man..
things may not go the way bush and sharon expect ..

[drdon326]

8. He cared "so " little...

he supported arafat financially and paid money to the
families of suicide bombers.

I wont miss the "Butcher of Baghdad".

[Maple]

11. Apparently you're unaware

the Saudis pay Palestinians pensions ...you know...your buddies?

[drdon326]

13. Apparently you're unaware...

SH was paying $ 25,000 to the families of suicide bombers.

[soothsayer]

6. yup. our "enemies" are black and white

no gray areas here

move along folks, nothing to seee

[cantwealljustgetalong]

9. Arafat "saddened" by Saddam capture...

...

Saddam should have put up a fight or committed suicide, they said, and his surrender is a stain on Arab honor. "It is a big defeat for all Arabs and Muslims," said Raji Hassan, 29, watching TV with friends in a Gaza City coffee shop.
The Palestinian Authority declined to comment on the arrest of Saddam, but a senior PA official in Ramallah said Yasser Arafat was "saddened" by the news from Baghdad. "President Arafat was sad to see an Arab leader in an humiliating position," said the official.

...

Khairiyeh Said, 43, a high-school teacher, said she wept when she watched Saddam in captivity. "I was sitting with my friends when we heard the bad news," she added. "We all started crying because we love Saddam and we hate Bush and Sharon. This is a big victory for Bush and Sharon and all the enemies of the Palestinian people. We hope the Iraqi resistance will now teach the American dogs a good lesson."

Michael Hanna a 28-year-old engineer was one of the few Palestinians who said they were happy that Saddam was captured by the Americans. "Saddam is responsible for the killing of thousands of his own people and he deserves to die," he said. "I have no sympathy for him or other Arab dictators. I hope he will be put on trial and executed. This should be a lesson for other corrupt and tyrant Arab leaders. I hope the Iraqi people will now be able to live in peace because they have suffered for a long time under Saddam and his sons."

Palestinian legislator Hatem Abdel Kader said he too hope that Saddam's captue would serve as a lesson for the rest of the Arab dictators. "I think the Iraqis can finally celebrate their birthday," he said. "This is the fate of all tyrants. This is a humiliating end for a dictator, but we wish he had been caught by the Iraqis and not the Americans."

Abdel Kader, one of the top Fatah leaders, said many Palestinian s were disappointed that Saddam did not try to defend himself. "It would have been better if he had been killed," he added. "At least he would have died in an honorable way. It's a happy and sad ending for a dictator and I hope that this would be a lesson for all the other Arab dictators. This shows that all tyrants are cowards."

Mohammed Horani, a legislator from Arafat's ruling Fatah movement, said he had expected Saddam to be more courageous. "I had expected him to have fought back, or at least end his life," he said. "But then again, all dictators are cowards."

...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1071395079853

[drdon326]

12. Poor Yassir...

its a bummer losing your benefactor and soul-mate.

Gee, do you think this sad lesson of , what happens to psycho
thugs who steal from their own people, is lost on yassir??

[number6]

16. and

"Gee, do you think this sad lesson of , what happens to psycho
thugs who steal from their own people, is lost on yassir??"

lost on Ariel Sharon, butcher n thief

[pistoff democrat]

14. I just received this article via Reuters!

The former Iraqi ruler was a hero to many Palestinians for his stand against Israel and its U.S. ally, as well as for giving financial aid to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and others who died in a three-year-old uprising.

It seems that some posters ignored this little paragraph before responding!

This is a nice tidbit:

Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and his government made no comment. But Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, a senior leader of the militant Hamas group, said the United States would "pay a very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam.

and, yes: Memories:

During the 1991 Gulf War, Palestinians cheered as Iraqi Scud missiles crashed into Israeli cities.

As usual, Don comes through with the truth!
:pals:

[Jack Rabbit]

15. Wrong horse

Indeed he did pick the wrong horse.

Arafat has a sorry history of that. Those with whom he allied himself have made up a real rogue's gallery. Colonel Khaddafy and Idi Amin were a couple of other thugs with whom he alined himself.

I still support statehood for Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza.

[drdon326]

17. Really...

it like the kiss of death if arafat becomes youre new
best friend.

I still support a PEACEFUL palestinian state.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. So do I

Support a peaceful Palestinian state, that is. Hopefully, they'll find a better leader than Arafat.

Now, if you're trying to use Arafat's poor track record as a reason to deny the Palestinians a state, it doesn't work. The benefits of a Palestinian state are:

• that it would allow the Palestinians a chance to use their own resources for their benefit;
• It would allow the Palestinians the oppostunity to develop a democratic form of government;
• It would allow the Israelis to end the occupation and use their resources towards efforts other than enforcing curfews; and
• It would allow Israel to remain both a Jewish state and a democracy, something that would be mutally exclusive in a state that stretches from the Jordan River to the Mediterranen Sea.

Those are good reasons for people on both sides of the Green Line to support the eventual inception of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Arafat's poor record at the race track is a pretty lousy reason to oppose it, although it goes a long ways in explaining why it hasn't happened yet.

[drdon326]

25. Interesting post...

"Arafat's poor record at the race track is a pretty lousy reason to oppose it, although it goes a long ways in explaining why it hasn't happened yet."

good point.

[drdon326]

19. Hamas: U.S. will pay for capturing saddam

And those friendly jihadofascists at HAMAS have decided to threaten
the United states:


"Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and his government made no comment. But Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, a senior leader of the militant Hamas group, said the United States would "pay a very high price for the mistake" of capturing Saddam.

"What the United States did is ugly and despicable. It is an insult to all Arabs and an insult to Muslims," he told Reuters.

Islamic factions sworn to Israel's destruction have taken strength from Iraqi resistance and cautioned on Sunday that Saddam's capture would not end attacks on U.S. forces."

[Jackie97]

21. I'm wondering.....

If the Palestinians are informed of all the murder that Saddam has done to his own people, or if they only know Hussein for helping their side out in the ME crisis.

It reminds me of how Israel acts like we're so great. They don't appear to know or at least openly acknowledge the fact that we've murdered a lot of people in South America and Asia in the name of stopping communism, helped the Baath party into into power, helped the Shah in Iran stay in power, helped dictators come and/or stay in power in the name of stopping communism, replaced the Taliban with somebody just as evil, etc. All Israel seems to acknowledge is out giving them aid that helps their side.

In some ways, I *do* think that Israel and the Palestinians have big things in common.

[corporatewhore]

22. Please dont misunderstand my post

I am for a PEACEFUL palestinian state.I dont think that we can lump all palestinians and muslims into one group.My friend who is a palestinian refugee andhas no right to return is not down and out because saddam is gone. She has never been a big fan of saddam.I think that lumping all of islam and muslims into the Hamas catagory is the same as lumping all of christianity and christians into the KKK catagory (a fine christian org)

[drdon326]

26. Good post....

well thought out.

[drdon326]

37. One more for the road...

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/031215/photos_wl_afp/031215161051_7kwiakve_photo2

hope saddam used a condom....