Al Jazeera: Saddam humiliation could fire up resistance

Al Jazeera ^ | Monday 15 December 2003

[presidio9]

The humiliating images of Saddam Hussein's capture by US forces risk increasing Arab support for the Iraqi resistance and sharpening their appetite for revenge, analysts said on Monday.

"I felt extremely humiliated," said Egyptian writer Sayyid Nassar, who interviewed Saddam three weeks before the US-led invasion of Iraq on 20 March. "I felt it was not only a humiliation of Arabs but of all humanity.

"By shaving his beard, a symbol of virility in Iraq and in the Arab world, the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region, where getting shaved by one's enemy means robbing him of his will," he said.

"It's also a humiliation for all Arab leaders and a message telling them that he who does not enter the poultry yard of the Americans will experience the same fate," he said.

Saddam's arrest "will not destroy the Iraqi resistance against the US occupier," and will encourage "feelings of Arab solidarity with the Iraqi fighters," he predicted.

"On the contrary, the resistance will grow and change shape," he warned.

"There will be a kind of creativity in acts of resistance, which will diversify and intensify to wash away their shame," he said.

The Egyptian Islamist lawyer Muntasir al-Zayyat agreed that Saddam's capture would "open the door wide to the resistance."

"It is true that we all deplored the humiliating way Saddam was arrested and his capture added to the feelings of frustration. However, the positive side is that it will intensify the resistance," he said.

"All opponents of Saddam, who refused to fight the American occupier for fear of being counted among the former president's supporters, will no longer hesitate to join the resistance," Zayyat said.

"The image that former president Saddam Hussein gave during his arrest by American occupation forces is a painful and shocking image," said Ibrahim Nafie, the editor in chief of the Egyptian government daily Al-Ahram. "It's an image that no Arab wished for the president of one of the most important Arab states," Nafie wrote.

The Iraqi political analyst Ali al-Dabbagh, who lives in the United Arab Emirates, said Arabs were shocked and humiliated because of the "collapse of a myth" which forced "Arabs to face their sad reality and impotence.

"Many were those who were shocked that this 'hero', whom the media covered with a halo and glorious titles like the 'valorous', did not resist" US forces coming to arrest him, Dabbagh said.

"Suddenly, Arabs saw the true face of Saddam: a dwarf who did not have the courage to resist or even commit suicide as he had for so long claimed he would do," Dabbagh said.

"Such a confrontation with reality and the humiliation felt by his arrest by foreigners invites us to self-criticism and review ideas which force the Arab people to follow the propaganda (of their regimes) without examining things," he said.

The dictator's capture will cut his ties with his supporters and end their operations, "but will not wipe out the extremist groups which are pursuing their attacks," Dabbagh said.

The editor in chief of the Iraqi newspaper Al-Nahda, Jalal Machta, shared his opinion. "Saddam Hussein was like these gods of the pre-Islamic era, when animists fashioned an idol with date paste, then ended up eating the statue they worshipped," he said.

[smith288]

*Yawn*.... this is the same "Arab street" that rose up when all arabs were humiliated at the weak defenses of Baghdad?

[ClearCase_guy]

John Kerry should hire these guys for his Campaign. "The Senator's single digit results in the NH and SC primaries are exactly the sort of primary returns we were looking for at this stage. We have not yet begun to fight. These events will energize our supporters who will now flock to the polls in record numbers. Our secret weapons will turn the tide! Gotterdammerung is approaching!!"

[HarryCaul]

You know...

I have great respect for the achievments and history of Arabic civilization.

But any culture that relies on someone like Saddam as a source of pride needs to do some serious self-examination. There's something deeply wrong with that. It's not a good thing for a culture.

[BrooklynGOP]

"By shaving his beard, a symbol of virility in Iraq and in the Arab world, the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region, where getting shaved by one's enemy means robbing him of his will," he said.

Uh. Saddam didn't have a beard prior to the war. These people are nuts.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

"It's also a humiliation for all Arab leaders and a message telling them that he who does not enter the poultry yard of the Americans will experience the same fate," he said.

Good. That should make things easier.

[billorites]

"So we are witnessing right now the war's critical turning point in these the most historic of times. What has been amazing about the war so far is not that we have been winning, but that we have been doing so — quite unlike our increasingly exhausted enemies — without the full mobilization of our vast economic, political, material, and human resources."

From Victor Davis Hanson's recent article Critical Mass.

[danneskjold]

"By shaving his beard, a symbol of virility in Iraq and in the Arab world, the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region, where getting shaved by one's enemy means robbing him of his will," he said.

I think it's safe to say that Saddam had been robbed of his will long before his beard was shaved...

[tessalu]

All Muslims were born mad and angry. It just does not matter what other people do or don't do. They are always foaming at the mouth.

[petercooper]

Hey AlDiareah:

F--- Off!

[Inyokern]

"By shaving his beard, a symbol of virility in Iraq and in the Arab world, the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region, where getting shaved by one's enemy means robbing him of his will," he said.

Do all arabs have the emotional maturity of a 5 year old? Or is it just this guy?

[Mr. Bird]

The humiliating images of Saddam Hussein's capture by US forces risk increasing Arab support for the Iraqi resistance and sharpening their appetite for revenge, analysts said on Monday.

While I'm sure images of Saddam gallantly shooting it out with the Great Satan would have caused mass surrendering? The simple fact of the matter is that there is a percentage of Islamic yahoos that wish to kill Americans regardless of the circumstances. That's not news, but sometimes the globe could use a reminder.

[freedumb2003]

Good. That should make things easier.

We should do like the English did -- schedule time on Al Jazerra, execute a Muslim and bury him with 2 pigs.

Then say that will be what happens to anyone who attacks or even looks sideways wrong at American and their support forces.

The same could be used for the broader WOT. Kill an American, get killed and buried with pork.

[gipper81]

Right! The arab street will really rise up this time!!!

[Billthedrill]

Well, the two Egyptian figures interviewed certainly seem a bit off their feed.

And they were dancing in the streets in Iraq. So tell me - why is it that they're "humiliated" in Cairo and jubilant in Baghdad? It's long past time we shifted focus a bit to the Egyptian roots of radical Islam.

[Naspino]

By shaving his bla bla bla bla Allah shall bla bla and unleash a holy bla bla bla that shall never end until bla bla and infidels are bla bla bla...

This paraphrases all arabic terrorist journalists and their rantings forever more.

[the Real fifi]

Sounds like Fisk or Hersh. Do you suppose they ghost write for Al-Jazeera?

[ASA Vet]

"It's also a humiliation for all Arab leaders and a message
telling them that he who does not enter the poultry yard of the Americans will
experience the same fate,"

I'd rather use a pig sty than a poultry yard, but as long as they get the message it'll have to do.

[Kenton]

"It's also a humiliation for all Arab leaders and a message telling them that he who does not enter the poultry yard of the Americans will experience the same fate," he said.

Sour grapes, dude. But yeah, that's the message all right. Better pay attention... his treatment by us wasn't nearly as humiliating as what the Iraquis may do to him.

[presidio9]

Be sure to click on the link and FReep the poll. Currently 41% of our camel-riding brethern say that Saddam's capture will not weaken resistance.

[familyofman]

"By shaving his beard, a symbol of virility in Iraq and in the Arab world, the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region, where getting shaved by one's enemy means robbing him of his will," he said.

Perhaps this is just the beginning of his humiliation. Next we should send him to a maximum security prison in the US and tell the inmates that he is a child molestor, stand back and film his becoming a bit*h for Bubba & friends. That would sure be better than Paris Hilton.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Tough cous-cous.

Behold, crybabies, the POWER and the RESOLVE of your new and eternal masters, dragging you kicking and screaming into a bold new concept known as MODERN CIVILIZATION.

[smith288]

[Howlin]

John Kerry should hire these guys for his Campaign.

I just heard Bill Press on MSNBC saying that there were NO WMD and NO link between Iraq and AQ.

No need to hire anybody; the press is doing their work for them.

[Sunshine Sister]

Yeah yeah. These people should be dancing in the streets!

[astounded]

"The Egyptian Islamist lawyer Muntasir al-Zayyat agreed that Saddam's capture would "open the door wide to the resistance." "

I love these guys. What do you think the chances are that this brave "islamist", a "lawyer" no less, will be picking up an AK and coming on down to Iraq for a shot at the 4thID boys??? Can you say, between slim and none? These arabs are all alike - all turban, no jihad. Give it up, girls.

[petercooper]

We need to FReep all these AlDiareah polls when they come out.

[CathyRyan]

yada, yada, yada....

[ClearCase_guy]

NO link between Iraq and AQ.

I love that formulation. Saddam Hussein's regime:

Used rape as a political weapon.
Used torture as a political weapon.
Used poison gas on his own people.
Planned the assassination of a US President.
Fed people to shredders.

These are terror tactics. The man is a terrorist. The US is fighting a war against Terrorists.

No Al-Quaeda link? Who f****** cares??

[Mr. Mojo]

the Americans committed an act that symbolizes humiliation in our region

Better get used to the feeling, Ishmaeli. We're just getting started.

[Mr. Mojo]

Bill Press on MSNBC saying that there were NO WMD and NO link between Iraq and AQ.

Looks like Arabs aren't the only ones begging for humiliation.

[Gefreiter]

You know, I'm sick of that too. It's all about humiliation, pride, and related self esteem issues with these people. Jeez, but what adult goes through life, feeling either humiliated or boastful, about events on the other side of the world?!

People like the guy from the article need to focus on their own lives, and- if they're so concerned about having points of pride- make them for themselves: start a successful business (besdies terroism-related enterprises), write a decent book, discover a cure for something, offer a useful service, or improve a way of doing things.

They should stop being such candy-asses and worrying about what victims they think they are, and take some steps that might improve their society. Maybe pride would come from that.

[Mr. Mojo]

No Al-Quaeda link?

There's quite a bit of circumstantial evidence, just not absolute proof. But we may get that proof once Saddam starts a-singin'.

[SBprone]

Humiliating Arabs is a righteous outcome. We are showing them that Saddam's defeat is God's will. Some Americans don't get the point, but the Arabs are getting it loud and clear.

What a stroke of good fortune that he didn't use the pistol. Now he is the living proof that he lacked the fighting spirit to resist his captors or even to take his own life. I think we lucked out on that score.

[watchin]

"... he who does not enter the poultry yard of the Americans will experience the same fate"

Hey, I think they're catching on!

One can only hope that thousands of wannabe suicide bombers will wake up and smell the coffee.

Their "fearless leaders" are all a bunch of cowering faggots who hide behind women and children - or in filthy holes, while eager to send others on suicide missions.

The next time one of these young men is handed a bomb-belt he should hand it back and say, "You go first".

[watchin]

"The achievments and history of Arabic civilization" consist primarily of conquest and taking credit for the achievements of the conquered. Worshipping a scuzball like Hussein is par for the course.

[TravisBickle]

The image that former president Saddam Hussein gave during his arrest by American occupation forces is a painful and shocking image.

Wait until they see Saddam doing the perp walk in an orange jump suit.

[watchin]

LOL hilariously familiar blathering. You could use that statement and get a job with Al Jazeera.

[American Infidel]

[American in Israel]

I have great respect for the achievments and history of Arabic civilization.

Yeah, but too bad the Moslems destroyed it.

[uncbob]

Yeah yeah

I heard the same thing when Reagan bombed Kadafi back in the 80s

The whole Arab world was going to rally to his side blah blah blah

Where the hell is Kadafi today

Everybody hates a LOSER including the Arabs

And Saddam ain't won many lately

[KRinNYC]

Hey Al Jazeera, guess what!??!

"All your Saddam Hussein are belong to us."

BAW HAW HAW HAW HAW HAW

[wildandcrazyrussian]

Speaking of public humiliation, shaving his beard )of all things) is nothing. Maybe Saddam is really glad to have been captured by civilized people (US Army) and not undergo the really public humiliation bestowed upon the Soviet-allied ruler of Afghanistan, Nasrullah (in about 1989) when the Afghan fighters re-captured Kabul. (Hint: he was then hanged to relieve his pain.)

[m1-lightning]

Al Jizzearah, the CNN of the Mideast.

[george wythe]

The bigger story is that the new military strategy is paying off.

It seems that Arabs respond to humiliation, brute force, detention of loyalist's relatives, etc.

When asked why he didn't fight just before his capture, Saddam Hussein said, "Would you fight this guy?" referring to an American officer.

Arabs understand force much better than any other language.

[WaterDragon]

Not a lot anyone can do for a people who insist on humiliating themselves over and over again.