Was the Timing of Saddam’s Execution a Sectarian Declaration of War?

In my previous blog I asked a series of questions about the execution of Saddam Hussein. Judith Latham, an astute member of the media, suggested to me offline that the answer to my question of why Saddam was executed on the Eid-al-Adha was simply that, for the current rulers of Iraq, Dec. 30 was not the Eid-al-Adha and the government is feeling very insecure. For the reasons mentioned below I now believe that she is correct, and for the reasons stated below, I think this portends a very dark future for Iraq and for the region as a whole.

By denying that Dec. 30 was the Eid day in the face of the three million pilgrims celebrating the high holy day in Mecca less than 900 miles away, Iraq was thumbing its nose at the Saudis, siding with Shia Iran and not with the Arab Saudi state in the perennial argument over what is the correct date of the holy day. It is all too easy to dismiss this dispute over a holiday date as no importance. After all, Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics don’t agree over the date of Easter; what’s the big deal? While it is no big deal for Iran and Saudi Arabia to differ on the date of the Eid, Iraq is different because Iraq is in the opening stages of a civil war between its Sunni Arab and Shi`a Arab populations. It’s one thing for the Iraqi government to choose to celebrate on one day rather than another, but it is a grave statement to the world to choose to execute the despised dictator on a day that, in the technical language of Islamic law, is “a day of doubt.”

It would be going too far to say the Iraqis picked deliberately the day Eid was celebrated in Mecca for the execution, since there were a number of factors that went into the decision. Rather, one can say that the Iraqis didn’t care that some Sunnis thought it was the Eid day. An article in the N.Y. Times (“U.S. Questioned Iraq on the Rush to Hang Hussein”) reports that the Iraqis “telephoned officials of the marjaiya, the supreme religious body in Iraqi Shiism, composed of ayatollahs in the holy city of Najaf. The ayatollahs approved.”

Surely such an attitude pours fuel on the fire of sectarian strife. Ms. Latham observes, “It shows a remarkable lack of sophistication.” To say the least.

Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D.

www.minaret.org

Related articles (compiled by Sarah Swick)

Is the Iraqi government really upset about how Saddam was treated in his last moments, or just upset they got caught?

· Iraq to Probe Filming of Saddam Hanging (Reuters/Washington Post)

Op-ed discusses possible messages behind the execution of Saddam:

· A Scaffold’s Dark Portrait of Iraq (Washington Post)

“Under Iraqi law, all pending charges against Hussein will be dropped,” which “signifies justice denied for countless victims who endured unspeakable suffering during his regime.”

· Kurdish Survivors’ Feelings Conflicted (LA Times)

American Muslims react to Saddam’s execution on Eid:

· Thousands Join for Eid Observance (Chicago Tribune)

Americans, as a voice of reason, could not convince a determined Iraqi government not to rush to the gallows:

· U.S. Questioned Iraq on the Rush to Hang Hussein (NY Times)

Witness account reveals “two top officials” had cell phones at executions, all others were not allowed:

· Iraq Investigates Saddam Footage (BBC News)

ImadadDean