This photo is from Yahoo and hasn't been photo shopped.
Posted on 12/30/2006, 9:14:26 PM by West Coast Conservative
The execution of Saddam Hussein sent many Palestinians into deep mourning Saturday as they struggled to come to terms with the demise of perhaps their most steadfast ally.
Unlike much of the rest of the world, where Saddam was viewed as a brutal dictator who oppressed his people and started regional wars, in the West Bank and Gaza he was seen as a generous benefactor unafraid to fight for the Palestinian cause, even to the end.
In Israel, where Saddam was seen as a bitter enemy, there was little sadness. But Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh expressed concerns about Iraq's path in the post-Saddam era.
Sneh told Israel Radio that Israel was concerned about the strengthening of Iranian influence in the Shi'ite sections of southern Iraq and also in the central government. Iraq had also become a regional "power station" for terror that could spread chaos throughout the Middle East, he said. "We have to be worried about what is going to happen now," he said.
Saddam's final words were reportedly, "Palestine is Arab."
"We heard of his martyrdom, and I swear to God we were deeply shaken from within," said Khadejeh Ahmad from the Qadora refugee camp in the West Bank. "Nobody was as supportive or stood with the Palestinians as he did."
During the first Gulf War in 1991, the Palestinians cheered Saddam's missile attacks on Israel, chanting "Beloved Saddam, strike Tel Aviv," as the Scud missiles flew overhead.
He further endeared himself to the Palestinians during the recent uprising with Israel by giving US$25,000 to the family of each suicide bomber and US$10,000 for each Palestinian killed in fighting. The stipends amounted to an estimated US$35 million.
Saddam's support for the Palestinians, whose cause is deeply popular with Arabs throughout the Middle East, was at least partially aimed at gaining widespread support throughout the Arab world.
"Saddam was a person who had the ability to say, 'No' in the face of a great country," said Hosni al Ejel, 46, from the al Amari refugee camp near Ramallah.
"He wanted the Palestinian people to have a state and a government and to be united. But God supports us, and we pray to God to punish those who did this," said Ghanem Mezel, 72, from the town of Saeer in the southern West Bank.
Others were happy to hear Saddam's final words, knowing that his support for them remained unshakable until the end.
Palestinians in the West Bank town of Bethlehem opened a "house of condolences" where people can gather to mourn Saddam. The organizers hung Iraqi flags, pictures of Saddam and broadcast Iraqi revolutionary songs.
Mohammed Barghouti, the minister of labor in the Hamas-led Palestinian Cabinet, said that although his Islamic group was often at odds with the secular Saddam, his execution was wrong.
"The Palestinians had bonded with Iraqis in brotherhood," he said.
Yeah, everyone misses a sugar daddy. Those 25,000 dollar checks for killing Israelis sure are going to be missed. Kind of like Katrina hustlers missing out on all of that FEMA money. Well, life must go on. Even without a sugar daddy.
Deeply saddened, huh?
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Imagine how Kofi and the boys at the U.N. must feel. Saddam still owed him forty bucks.
LMAO!!!! But I bet they really miss those welfare checks.
Nails it.
Palestinians and Saddam are birds of a feather!
Wow, so Saddam gave about 35 million to his "brothers" in Palestine. No wonder they're sad he's gone. I'd be sad if my money tree shriveled up, too.
ping
But of course, he paid them for the destruction of the Sbarro restaurant where mothers and their little children were having lunch.
That was when I got a better insight into the Islamic mindset. Here was a guy for all practical purposes a Kuwaiti national, being born and raised there (Palestine being a fictional nation with fictional "citizens"), glorifying the very man who ravaged and plundered his nation and brutalized thousands of its citizens. And all because he gave a few thousand dollars each to those raghead fascists blowing themselves up in Israel. Ungratefulness is at the very core of Islam, starting with their cult founder.
The guy on the lower right is what Michael Moore would look like if he showered once a month instead of once a year.
Of course I’m certain not a penny of it went to terrorism. (Yes, I’m being very sarcastic.)
Musta really been hard on em when Hitler died....
Boo, hoo.
ML/NJ
Oil wealth was one of his weapons of mass destruction.
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