# Al Zaqawi gets his 72 virgins! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 8, 2006, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874 "2006-06-08T11:54:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/21 "2006-06-08T13:45:02Z")
Pardon me? Oh. I was distract because I was busy doing the Happy Dance on that slimeball’s metaphorical grave. Aren’t gunsight videos just wonderful? Boom. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/22 "2006-06-08T13:55:52Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > OK, folks… > > Yes, the guy was a creep. Even so, I just want to say that the sight of normally calm and civilized Dopers cheering over someone’s death, and expressing hopes that he suffered, is a bit spine-chilling. > > However, never mind me. Carry on. We mourned when Nick Berg and Jack Armstrong died. Or, to be blunt, had their heads cut off live on video. We mourned when children were killed on his orders. We fretted when he tried to instigate a civil war between the Shia and the Sunni. Allow us the privilege of gloating a bit when evil dies. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/23 "2006-06-08T13:57:38Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Aren’t gunsight videos just wonderful? Boom. Link? ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/24 "2006-06-08T14:04:27Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > OK, folks… > > Yes, the guy was a creep. Even so, I just want to say that the sight of normally calm and civilized Dopers cheering over someone’s death, and expressing hopes that he suffered, is a bit spine-chilling. > > However, never mind me. Carry on. Sometimes life’s a bitch like that. I’m almost as liberal as they come on this board, and quite a compassionate person (in real life, if it is not always evident here), and I’ve got no problem wishing that he experienced that which he caused others to feel. Further, I don’t think “creep” adequately captures the nature of the man. He wasn’t rubbing up against people on the subway, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Logan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Don\_Logan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Logan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/25 "2006-06-08T14:08:11Z")
Does anyone know if the whole 72 virgins thing it really a held belief by the average Muslim terrorist, or if that is something that the US has played up to make it seem like that would be the only reason these people commit attacks in which they die? Or it like the Christian concept of heaven- some believe it, some don’t, but no one who believes it is killing themselves to get to heaven early? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/26 "2006-06-08T14:09:33Z")
He gets his 72 virgins, all right. But they all look like the love daughters of Janet Reno and Gilbert Gottfried. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/27 "2006-06-08T14:15:10Z")
I’ll be totally honest, a part of me agrees with **Peak**. Zaq’s death is a step forward, and rids the earth of a person I would barely consider human. He is now prevented from committing further acts of horror, which is a very good thing. This euphoric glee towards his death doesn’t sit right with me however. It doesn’t seem like the citizens of a civilized nation should be whooping things up. These are somber and sobering times we live in, and I don’t think our behavior matches the tone. What really pisses me off is we had this guy in the gun sights before the Iraq war. The Pentagon went to Bush 3 TIMES to hit him with an airstrike. The admin declined each time. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/28 "2006-06-08T14:16:05Z")
Perhaps a bad limrick was beneath me, but if today is the day that this monster’s name gets publicity, there are certain things that I feel must get said. There is nothing brave about someone who straps bombs to women and children’s chests and encourages them to drive towards guard posts to commit suicide. There’s nothing noble about detonating a roadside bomb. There’s nothing spiritual or mystical about beheading innocent civilians on film after making them beg for their lives for hours on end. There’s nothing enlightened about murdering your neighbors by the thousands because they want a westernized society while you want a return to 8th century technology and hygene. Yes, Bush started this war, and with little or no provocation. But that doesn’t make al-Zarqawi any less of a monster or a murderer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/29 "2006-06-08T14:16:24Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Link? The link is available on the front page of [CNN.com](http://CNN.com). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/30 "2006-06-08T14:35:14Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He gets his 72 virgins, all right. But they all look like the love daughters of Janet Reno and Gilbert Gottfried. I am shivering at the thought of those moans of passion. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/31 "2006-06-08T14:40:22Z")
I’m reading some of the right wing blogs today in response to the news. More information is coming out. It turns out that Bush was the pilot, Cheney was the tailgunner, and Condie Rice was the forward observer. In related news, Rumsfeld has accepted the unconditional surrender of the insurgents. Our troops can come home next week. This thing is as good as over. But then again, as we all know, first reports from the field are rarely correct. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/32 "2006-06-08T14:42:15Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > By my calculations, that’s over 72 x 60 = 4,320 years of sexual frustration. He’ll be saying his "Hail Mary"s in no time at all. Oh, yeah. I did drop a zero. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/33 "2006-06-08T14:46:13Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > It turns out that Bush was the pilot, Cheney was the tailgunner, and Condie Rice was the forward observer. I knew it! Cheney accidentally shot al-Zarqawi in the face, didn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/34 "2006-06-08T15:18:04Z")
> [@Don Logan](#): > > Does anyone know if the whole 72 virgins thing it really a held belief by the average Muslim terrorist, or if that is something that the US has played up to make it seem like that would be the only reason these people commit attacks in which they die? Or it like the Christian concept of heaven- some believe it, some don’t, but no one who believes it is killing themselves to get to heaven early? The Straight Dope, 14 December 2001: [Does the Koran really promise Islamic martyrs 72 virgins?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/011214.html) ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/35 "2006-06-08T15:56:12Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > OK, folks… > > Yes, the guy was a creep. Even so, I just want to say that the sight of normally calm and civilized Dopers cheering over someone’s death, and expressing hopes that he suffered, is a bit spine-chilling. > > However, never mind me. Carry on. That is very nice of you(seriuosly) but I have to say again, fuck him. I’m a bleeding heart who is against the war and a lot of the actions that the US/UK/Iraqi Gov are caring out at the moment but this guy was a waste of skin. I forced myself to watch a few of those be-heading videos and they will never leave me. I can’t even begin to imagine being in that situation. Bastard deserved a hard death. Hopefully he had one. I don’t believe in any supernatural force but it’s times like this that a hell would have its uses because if it did exist he’d be there having his head sawn off for eternity. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/36 "2006-06-08T15:57:49Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > OK, folks… > > Yes, the guy was a creep. Even so, I just want to say that the sight of normally calm and civilized Dopers cheering over someone’s death, and expressing hopes that he suffered, is a bit spine-chilling. > > However, never mind me. Carry on. The death of a scumbag like that is cause for rejoicing throughout the world. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/37 "2006-06-08T15:59:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > We mourned when Nick Berg and Jack Armstrong died. Or, to be blunt, had their heads cut off live on video. I saw the videos. “Cut off” isn’t quite the right term. Their heads were sawed off with a machete. Even though I’m an atheist, may his soul roast in Hell. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/38 "2006-06-08T16:01:37Z")
> [@Peak Banana](#): > > OK, folks… > > Yes, the guy was a creep. Even so, I just want to say that the sight of normally calm and civilized Dopers cheering over someone’s death, and expressing hopes that he suffered, is a bit spine-chilling. > > However, never mind me. Carry on. I won’t mind you at all. I also saw the video where they beheaded Berg. He needed to die. End of story. ---
**Author:** ![sleeping\_mud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58f4c7/32.png) [@sleeping\_mud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping_mud)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/39 "2006-06-08T16:22:54Z")
What? No video of Palestinians cheering in the streets? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/40 "2006-06-08T16:30:04Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Yeah, it isn’t like somebody isn’t going to step up and replace him. In fact, whoever does replace him now has a ‘reason’ to be especially brutal. Someone will step up, nature abhors a vacuum and all, however I think it’s might dissuading to know that by assuming leadership you’ll be mercilessly hunted by enemies who can strike unseen from 30,000 feet. Not exactly a “perk”, you know? Besides, the more we kill the more we thin out those with leadership ability. Eventually all that’s left are the honestly disturbed, like Moussoui, who couldn’t run a carousel by himself, let alone a functional terrorist organization. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874.md?page=3)