Warning: Killing Shiites May Make Them Hate You

Hangings Fuel Sectarian Split Across Mideast

January 17, 2007
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN

CAIRO, Jan. 16 — The botched hanging of Saddam Hussein and two lieutenants in Iraq by its Shiite-led government has helped to accelerate Sunni-Shiite sectarianism across an already fragile Middle East, according to experts across the region.

The chaotic executions and the calm with which Mr. Hussein confronted the gallows and mocking Shiite guards have bolstered his image among many of his fellow Sunni Muslims.

Just a thought, but maybe it was Saddam killing all of those Shiites that "fueled the sectarian split" in Iraq, and it probably doesn't help the Sunnis too much when they prop up an evil dictator as a sainted martyr.

Ultramontane, 4:21pm: Unrelated update; this is UITF's 500th post! Congrats to us!