To Saddam Hussein.
When I hear a piece of news , a verdict, or a story that touches me deeply , I freeze.
I usually can't comment on it straight away nor gather my thoughts and feelings in any coherent form. It takes me time to distill , digest and absorb.
I am not a journalist , I cannot report "things". Reporting takes a certain detachment and when it comes to Iraq , am not detached . I am very attached. Terribly attached.
Such piece of news reached me yesterday . That of your Execution.
I will address you as Saddam Hussein, Sir.
Even though I still consider you to be the legitimate President of Iraq, allow me not to use any formalities here. Let us forget titles , ranks and the rest .
When it comes to Death , all protocols fall. Death has this even power - We are all equal in the face of it. Death knows no kings, no heads of state, no generals. It strikes and it leaves. And you know that too.
What remains though is the Legacy left behind. A Legacy made of words and acts.
When I compare for instance Your Legacy to that of george bush the american , I see that:
You have remained true to your word until your last breath.
I don't care what they say about You . The misuses and abuses of power, the Dujails, the Anfals and the rest of the well knitted pieces of grossly exaggerated melodramas. I know one Truth Sir,You stayed in Iraq and did not run away like the rest. You did not seek asylum in the USA , Egypt or Jordan like others. You did not pack your bags nor your millions. You stayed and that is what matters to me.
Forgive me Sir, I am not a very sophisticated woman. I speak a simple language , the language of the heart. No one hardly ever recognizes this dialect these days. But I have a feeling, that despite all your alleged hardness, You would.
You know, my Dad before passing away said to me a few sentences that have remained with me since. He said : My Daughter, many things will come to pass in this life. You will face many trials and many errors. One thing you need to be certain of though, don't ever loose your integrity nor your dignity. The day you SELL those, you would have sold your soul. And all is downhill from there.
Sir, I am proud that you have not sold neither.
In that you have helped us preserve our "own" intact.
As for the rest , don't worry about them. They will end up in the dustbins of history. They will end up cited as thugs, profiteering, sectarian, opportunistic, hypocrites. I feel sorry to say that about the people you believe in . But that is the Truth.
Sir, take an example . Even your so called tribunal is made of an ex accountant, turned waiter turned thief. This is no verdict , this is a circus, a zoo . And they are the animals.
What pains me most is that they succeeded in massacring yet another TRUE IRAQI.
A true Iraqi amongst many thousands. And this is what You are .
Granted, you had your downsides , your shadow. But it pales in comparison to what the "Land of the Free " is doing to us. Your shadow is like a ray of sunlight, Sir.
A friend who is not an Iraqi, nor an Arab , nor a Muslim wrote to me . She said :
" I feel a pit in my stomach that will not go away. My sister cried upon hearing the verdict. How dare they ? What is this collective punishment by the White Man? I will not stay quiet..."
Another wrote a poem in your honor and she is from England .
And others wrote some more .
Even Iraqis who left the country and had known the coldness of exile , wrote denouncing ...
I am aware that words serve nothing now. But just to let you know that you are not alone.
Sir, If you allow me, try to imagine this. Try to imagine barbaric hordes coming from across oceans . Try to imagine herds of indoctrinated sheep from across borders dressed in black . Try to imagine every single scum bag in the land that you so eloquently praise, rising up and ganging up against you. What does that make You? It makes you a Hero Sir. Yes it does.
If all those armies , sectarians and sellout vermins conspired against You it is because You have stayed True to something. And darkness hates the Truth.
They say you were authoritarian and totalitarian. Come and see them now.
See their Fascism infesting the streets. See it in every neighborhood, see it in every corner .
You said Women are the Pioneers of this Arab Ummah , come and look at us now.
Rape has replaced sexual intercourse, censorship replaced education and forced domestication has replaced public life.
You said Education is the sign of a Progressive Ummah. Our schools and universities are empty.And our Brains drained and killed.
You said Health is Free for all. Our hospitals are dilapidated and our doctors in exode.
You said Kurds are our brothers, they are now being trained as snipers by Israel.
You said Christians and Muslims are part of this mosaic called Iraq. The Christians are fleeing by thousands and the churches are deserted.
Look at me Sir. I am a product of this wonderful mosaic called Iraq. I am half Muslim and half Christian. And the Muslim half has Shi'as and if you dig hard enough you will find
Kurdish, Armenian, Turkish, Chaldean, Arabic roots all the way back...
Where is my place now Sir ?
You are about to find your place soon. Like a bird flying to nest into the arms of the Sky.
Whilst, I am left behind waiting for my turn. And in the meantime, searching , desperately searching for a place to rest my tired head and finding none.
Sir, I heard they will execute You within 36 hours. In time for the Eid. Our sacrificial feast.
You did say you are willing to be sacrificed for Iraq . You still believe they are worth it .
I envy your Faith.
May you go in Peace now, my True Iraqi...
Painting :Iraqi Artist, Dr Ala'a Al Bashir.
Comments
Thank you for your words. You are right , he is and will prove to be the BRAVEST president in the world.
i live in croatia. we were once part of yugoslavia-but we fought a senseless, self-destructive war, whose nature not a single nation has yet recognized and admitted. our local, petty, croatian and serbian nationalisms have turned us without resistance to capitalist cruelness and unemployment. maybe once, they will start to learn from iraq that freedom is not for sale to the agents of giant, faceless corporations that today rule the world.
Thank you for your insights.
I am an American citizen that has been stripped of all forms of patriotism and I look forward to the imminent fall of the corrupt, brutal empire that our country has become.
I have learned so much since the Iraq war.
If nothing good comes from war, at least I was awakened to the evil in our world because I began to study how this criminal war ever began and how it was instigated and by whom and why and where the profits went and relationships between profiteers and instigators...
Our dependency upon oil and consumerism and paper "money" (printed by ancient, mostly European banking families that own the Federal Reserve) will kill our country very soon. I believe that our mad "leaders" are actually puppets for these money forces that drive world events.
Where I once had pride in my country, I now have shame. But I look forward to the soon coming day when this evil empire (the one that calls other countries evil) and this brutal empire (the one that calls other countries brutal) and this corrupt empire (the one that calls other countries corrupt)... the USA will fall and humility will once again be known by our people.
Iraq made all of that clear to me.
I speak for many in America when I say "sorry for what corrupt leaders in our country have become, and what they have done and continue to do on innocents all over the world."
Blessings to you this holiday season and may our compassionate God bring peace to our hearts and to the world someday soon.
Tate
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArkBuilders_org/
I say to the Iraqis who do not stand up for him in these tragic times: be warned, for many darker days lay ahead for you, for you who sold your honour and failed to see what was good for you and your country.
If the execution of the President of Iraq by the traitors and collaborators of the evil anglo-american-zionist empire takes place, then you will deserve to be humiliated and exploited by your foreign masters and I will have no more pity or feel sorry for you.
A woman who loves IRAQ
Saddam will die with honors, as many before him have. He will die for the freedom, integrity, and independence of Iraq. That's a worthy cause. Those who betrayed him will have neither freedom nor honor. They will die with treason as their legacy.
I absolutely feel the same way you do. If the Iraqis will not stand up and denounce this sham, then they will have brought upon themselves.
Did you expect perhaps to write a tribute to Nero bush or Lord BLiar?
Or maybe Khomeini and Sharon?
The only disgusting thing I see is the Silence.
I do want to thank you however, dear Layla,for honouring this courageous and dignified man with your thoughtful and sincere words.Coming from a woman with integrity that is honourable indeed.
http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr012=frmirti9s2.app13a&page=NewsArticle&id=6211&news_iv_ctrl=1261
A woman who loves IRAQ
In truth, you can see who is the true evil in this case: Saddam is supposed to not be executed for another month, yet they are said to be doing it tomorrow. They do not even grant his wish in death, to be shot, rather than hung.
The greatest irony, is it is always the barbarians who convince themselves they are the light while all others the dark.
The US-orchestrated tribunal that sentenced President Saddam Hussein has no legal standing
The imminent execution of Iraq’s lawful president is testimony to the gutting of international law by the Bush regime and its criminal partners
URLt: http://www.brusselstribunal.org/execution.htm
A woman who loves IRAQ
Saddam made his own bed when he rose to power with the help of the CIA. He sold your country out to the USA several decades ago, so that he may sit on golden toilets. While the modern Iraq he help develop, now rotted due to his greed and war-mongering.
We gave both Iraq and Iran the military equipment to kill eachother in massive numbers, when Reagan was President. Even though Iran had our hostages, they still made the deal, and Israel made the deliveries of the weapons.
It is all a show, and like us, you've been deceived.
Saddam brought this misery to your country laying down with the dogs, named Reagan, Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, in the early 80's.
Remember this, even now, politicians cannot be trusted. Yours or mine! They only care for themselves while they pretend to care for their citizens. You'll see eventually, if not now.
It is a loss not just to the Iraqis though but EVERY Arab who has any pride whatsoever.
Shame on those who carried out the executiion and BRAVO on our martyr for being proud until the very end.
I hope he is in a better place now.
Thank you. You leave me speechless, as usual.
Tim, I am hoping you will read all of what follows. Remember, America illegally invaded the sovereign nation of Iraq, based on outright lies. They hunted down and captured the legal Head of State, and had him tried and executed by a kangaroo court controlled by the occupiers. Should there be a tribute to that atrocity?
Read....
You don't know shit about Iraq.
For starters, you don't speak Arabic. In fact, there's a pretty good chance you don't even know someone who speaks Arabic. Further, you probably don't even know what percentage of Iraqis speak Arabic. I know for damn certain that you don't speak Kurdish.
Second, you have never been to Iraq. You may have seen a few maps on TV, but you have never actually been there. There is even a reasonable chance that you could not identify Iraq on a blank map. Almost certainly you do not know which countries border Iraq, without looking at a map. Its very likely you have never met anyone from Iraq, even if you have seen a few on TV.
Third, you probably know fuck all about Islam. You don't know what the word means in Arabic. You don't know the difference between Sunni and Shiite Islam. You don't know which type of Islam is more common in the region or in the world. you don't known when Ramadan is. You don't know when Muslims pray. You don't know where Mecca and Medina are. you don't know why those two cities are so important in the religion. You don't know when Mohammad lived. You have never read the Koran. You probably have even read part of it. You don't know what is forbidden by Islam, or what is permitted. You have maybe one Muslim friend.
Fourth, you have no clue about the history of the region. You have never heard of the Ottoman empire. You don't know about regional politics and the nineteenth century. You don't know what the British did in Iraq. You don't know about WWI in the region. You don't know when Iraq became independent. You don't know when Saddam Hussein took power. Even though you were alive the entire time, you don't know when the Iran-Iraq war took place. Before the war started, you only knew the same of one city in Iraq--Baghdad.
Fifth, you have no fucking idea what our military capability actually is. you couldn't even guess within 300,000 troops how many are available for active duty. You have no idea how many are deployed in different parts of the world. You don't know the location of more than three military bases. You don't know what type of weaponry, armor and vehicle the military currently uses. You don't even know the order of ranks among enlisted men in the Marines. Hell, you don't know if the Marines are part of the Army or if they are a separate branch of the armed services. You don't know what the military budget is. You don't know what congressional committees oversee military activities. You don't know how long a standard tour of duty lasts. You don't know the demographic composition of the armed forces.
Sixth, you don't know anything about the so-called "Iraqi resistance." You don't know what their motives are. You don't know what their goals are. you don't know how many of them there are. You don't know what groups they are affiliated with. You don't know how many are native Iraqis, how many are not from Iraq, or how many used to be part of Saddam's regime. You don't know what kind of tactics they use. You don't know how much public support they have. You don't know if they are one group or several groups. You don't know their political or religious beliefs. You don't know if they are losing strength or gaining strength.
Seventh, you don't have the slightest clue about the structure of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. You don't know where they operate from. You don't know where their funding comes from. You don't know their plans. You don't know their strengths or weaknesses. You don't know which organizations operate out of which countries. you don't know what their goals are. You don't know where they draw their recruits from. You don't know how many people hate them and how many people sympathize with them. You don't know what connections they have with each other or with current regimes. You don't know how these organizations are run, or if there are factional splits within them. You don't know the names of more than three of their leaders. You probably could not even write a definition of the word "terrorist."
Eighth, you probably have never been a civilian in a war zone. You saw the attacks of 9/11 on television, but you probably didn't experience them, or know anyone who did. Your town has probably never been bombed or invaded. You have never seen your country overthrown in a violent coup. You have probably never lived under a dictatorship. You almost certainly do not know what its like to face jail simply for speaking up for your beliefs.
Ninth, you know absolutely nothing about Iraqi public opinion. You don't know what people over there are thinking. You don't know what people are thinking in different regions of the country. You don't know what they would like to see in a government. You have no idea what their idea of justice and democracy is. You may have heard a snippet of a poll or two, but since you don't know how those polls were conducted, what the methodology is, and how scientific such a poll is in relation to other polls, you really have no fucking clue what even the so called "general" sentiment is. you don't know how many Iraqis welcome the presence of U. S. troops. You don't know how many Iraqis wish U.S. troops harm. You don't know what people there are thinking, and you probably never will.
Tenth, you almost certainly do not know what its like to face combat. There is a decent chance that you know someone how is facing combat, but you can't understand what they are going through.
Eleventh, what little you do know, or what little you think you know, comes entirely from the mass media. You might question the way the media presents its stories, but you make no real effort to find information from other sources. Hell, you don't even follow the events in the mass media that closely. Maybe a couple of times a week you will actually watch the news all the way through. You know more about "Friends" or the "American Idol," than you know bout recent events in Iraq. You certainly have never actually watched or read anything from Al-Jazeera, even though you often deride the way it covers the news.
Twelfth, you can't possibly have the slightest idea how things in Iraq will change as time progresses. No one knows that. you can not see into the future. You don't know how it all will end. You don't know what will happen next.
Thirteenth, you know jackshit about the United Nations and international diplomacy. You don't know which countries are in the "Arab League." You can't name even half of the members of the U.N. security council. You don't know when the U.N. was founded, and you have never read the U.N. charter. you don't know where U.N. troops are currently deployed. You don't know the budget of the U.N., and you don't know where that money comes from. You don't understand U.N. voting procedures. Maybe, just maybe you know what city the U.N. headquarters are in. you certainly don't know all the members of NATO, the EU, or the "non-aligned" movement.
Fourteenth, you definitely do not know "what the world thinks about the U. S." You do not have a clear understanding of the opinion of the U.S. in very many, if any, countries of the world. Hell, you probably don't even know the names of more than six heads of state throughout the world, much less what they think of the U.S. You don't even know why other countries think certain things about us. You may have a guess, but let me tell you right now, that guess is probably way off.
Fifteenth, you don't know crap about economics. you don't know how the federal reserve system works. you don't know how OPEC works. You don't know how the unemployment rate is defined. You don't understand currency or gold markets. There is absolutely no way you understand you these structures are connected to the building of a functioning nation-state. Trade agreements? Please. you have never read one in your entire life.
Sixteenth, even though you always talk about Democracy, I bet you couldn't even define what you mean by that. Go ahead and try. Define it in three sentences or less. Now, try to explain how that was achieved in this country. Goooood luck.
Seventeenth, if you actually managed to come up with something about what you mean by Democracy and how it was achieved in America, try to come up with a way that "we" can go about accomplishing the same thing in Iraq in just a matter of a year or two, if ever. When making this calculation, don't forget to take into account of the things I have pointed out to you that you don't know.
I'm only saying this so that you will stop pretending that you know the solution to "the situation in Iraq." You don't have a clue. Even if you did know all of the things I listed, you still would only have a cursory understanding of how to help "the situation." Even then, the best you could do was offer a semi-demi-psuedo educated guess about the best course of action that would be rife with sweeping generalizations and the lacking in significant evidence. Even then, you might as well use a dartboard.
However, you don't even have close to that cursory understanding of what is taking place, and neither do I. Just about the only thing you and I can know for certain is that over 800 coalition troops have lost their lives in Iraq, and over 10,000 Iraqi civilians have also died. These numbers can be proven. Not much else can be.
Considering all of this, I would appreciate it if you stopped telling everyone what should be done over there. You don't know what needs to be done, and I don't either. This is something you need to remember in the future whenever another one of our "elected" officials tells us that a nation that has not attacked us is a "threat to our security" and that we need to engage in "regime change" to fix the situation. When they say this, tell them bullshit. when they say it will be a clean and easy procress, them htem bull fucking shit. Please remember how messed up things are in reality, no matter how they sound in a neatly prepared speech. Please remember how little you actually know about these situations, and beg "our leaders" to remember the same thing about themselves, because the last thing we need is to get into another situation like this that no one knows how to fix.
May Allah grant you wisdom and understanding.
Abdullah Mustafa
I feel you.
I was moved by your writing and I agree with you. I know other here in Australia who are outraged and what has happened to Mr Hussein. It is a was crime.
I an not Iraqi or even an arab but for all his faults the education and health system of Iraq where very good. He did a lot for women and all the people of his country.
This is a sad day indeed. Also My condolences to his family, friends and supporters.
For the Iraqis who are now celebrating his passing, I have just a few words - to a non-Iraqi, non-Muslim, you look very shallow, traitors and unpatriotic when the world sees you dancing on the streets. Don't forget for one moment, Iraqis are going through living hell as I write this, and as you read it. Is it President Saddam who is destroying their world, or is it the barbarians, such as Bush, Blair, Howard and all the sorry excuses for human beings who have pulverised Iraq beyond recognition? Dark days, much darker are yet to come, not just for one sect in Iraq but for every Iraqi. There will come a day when you will regret your actions and look on the days during President Saddam's time as beautiful days. For those of you who managed to get out of Iraq, it is the education you gained during President Saddam's time that was your passport. How many Iraqis have been able to continue with their education since 2003? Iraqis in Iraq are the real victims today, while all of you sit in the comfort of the countries which have destroyed your motherland.
Tim, I am tempted to respond to your comment, but will not do so because this is not the time or the place. Your comment on this site is like having a sewer in a sacred place.
May the soul of President Saddam Hussein rest forever more in eternal peace and may future generations of Iraqis remember him as the one true honourable leader who was killed by evil men from the west to satisfy their own despicable goals.
Long live Iraq and the memory of President Saddam Hussein. You are truly a warrior and an example and role model to anyone who wishes to build their lives on PRINCIPLES.
Dear Layla, thank you for your beautiful words, always.
Rest in Peace Saddam
I believe there is one Mighty One. He requires the innocent blood that is spilled from those who spill it. I pray for your people to have inner peace in all they will face I do hope you know we are not all brainwashed here in America & that TRUTH will prevail.
regarding saddam, i cried today when i watched his execution video, i havent cried over anything in years. God bless you Sir Saddam Hussein, you stayed true, honorable, and proud as you stared death in the face. Your death although tragic, is one that i, and all men hope to replicate in our passing: to die with such prestige and honor right up until your final moments as you were taken into oblivion.
ALLAH YIRHAM SADDAM HUSSEIN!
stop the crocodile tears, you must be drinking again. saddam was pure evil. he murdered people left right and center, depending on the level of his psychosis that day. noone was safe inside or outside of his circle or reach.
you can claim saddam was true to iraq to appease yourself. after all, its pretty lame to claim someone who slaughtered iraqis, was 'true to iraq'. it shows how desperate you are to find something, anything to praise him for. saddam is where he belongs, rotting in hell.
there are no borders in hell.
You obviously have no shame.
As for the rest,(a couple of others with their vile remarks) well I guess you will end up in the dustbins of history as well for not having spoken the truth.
Where is the pride being found cowering in a hole by the Coalition forces? I am against everything USA stands for, but I will not praise this vile man. Praise is only worthy of courageous and noble people, two characteristics Saddam did not have, his pride and arrogance engulfed his black heart to the point he had the Holy Koran written in his blood!
He invited the vile Western governments into teh Middle East, turned against his own Iranian brothers, enjoyed a life of luxury rubbing shoulders with 'The New World Order' until his expiry date passed.
I will not mourn nor celebrate his execution, but I will be honest about what Saddam was, from the moment he came into power, till the moment the noose tightened around his neck. The only complaint about Saddam is that the Bush Administration did not hang with him.
Thank you for praising America and its murdering of over 700 000 iraqi muslims. That is very islamic of you indeed.
Keep on demonizing, that way you keep giving legality and justification to an unjust and illegal war. And that too is very islamic of you.
Good luck in your thinking.
LIVED LIKE HERO,DIED LIKE HERO.
REST IN PEACE, MAY YOUR SOUL FIND PEACE. AND MAY GOD HELP IRAQ AGAINST DEVILS WHO DESTROY IT.
THANK YOU LAYLA FOR BEAUTIFUL WORDS.
may your God welcome you in peace
President Hugo Chavez
It smells of sulphur all over the middle east.
Ya Saddam ya HABIB.
Also would it be ok by you if i link from other posts of yours?
may allah (swt) grant saddam the greatest of heavens and may allah(swt) give bush, blair, howard the coward, and others like them what is their due punishment in hell and this world.
Tim - Abdullah Mustafa kicked your ignorant lame ass all over this board!!! YOU LOSE!!!Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
We all know that have understanding that Pres. Saddam Hussein was a great hero for the people of Iraq, the Arab nation, the Third World and for freedom loving people everywhere. But it is time for us to stop turning our heroes into martyrs. We must learn to struggle properly.
Be well.
As an American I want you to know that we hate Arabs just as much as you hate Americans...When we say other wise...WE LIE. The world would be a better place if YOU weren't here. I can only hope that someday you anger the Civilized world enough so that there's a chance of that becoming a reality.
You hate Arabs without knowing them and you are missing out on a lot of goodness, generosity, patience, humanity and courage.