# 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:** 3
**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, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/41 "2006-06-08T16:39:02Z")
> [@sleeping mud](#): > > What? No video of Palestinians cheering in the streets? It would be easy enough to find. Although a minority, there certainly are Shia in Palestine. And even more is the Hezbollah areas of Lebanon. And I’m sure it would be easy to find Iraqi children cheering the death. Muqtada Al Sadr is probably as giddy as all get out at the news. Recently it appears that the Mahdi Army has taken a more active role in clearing out the foreign element in the country, even going insofar as to surround a town that was a foreign insurgent hot bed (I’ll try to dig up a cite on that). Try to peddle your wide brushes elsewhere. ---
**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, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/42 "2006-06-08T16:40:20Z")
> [@Cluricaun](#): > > 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? I don’t know. Death doesn’t seem to be much of a deterent to these extremists. I would think the chance for glory would be a hell of a perk. > [@](#): > > 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. It’s a pretty big herd to thin out, we can’t win that way. We have to win over the citizens and cut off the underground support to these terrorist cells. ---
**Author:** ![FWorld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FWorld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FWorld)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/43 "2006-06-08T16:40:39Z")
You should see the Arabic comments on Arabiya, an Arab news portal. Most run along the lines of: about fucking time. Some are more skeptic, and claim that he was a US puppet/tool all along. Others claim that he died a while ago, but announcing it was delayed to give PM Maliki a victory. Aside from those guys, everybody else is fucking happy. And the names of the commentators are Sunni and Shii, so, the cheering of his demise is not sectarianly restricted. According to some reports I’ve read (in Arabic, no link), Zarqawi died ten minutes after the raid. Right after the missile(s) struck, Iraqi police followed by coalition forces stormed (what was left of) the house he was in. They found him, he died, and then they confirmed his identity and that of his comrades. So to those of you who wanted to know this: a) he suffered for a good ten minutes and b) he knew he was captured. Jordanian intelligence seems to have played a significant part in this. (Zarqawi bombed three hotels in Amman last year), again according to Al Arabiya. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/44 "2006-06-08T16:45:27Z")
> [@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. Especially brutal? You mean they will start hacking off head **and** fingers? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/45 "2006-06-08T16:46:27Z")
Heh, anyone who reads my posts knows how I feel about the war, but when I heard this news at about 5am on the BBC World Service, I actually said “woohoo!” out loud, and for a moment seriously considered getting up and turning the computer on to be first post on the board with this news. Fuck him, the murderous bastard, he needed killing. ---
**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, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/46 "2006-06-08T16:49:31Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > I saw the videos. “Cut off” isn’t quite the right term. Their heads were sawed off with a machete. Well, I haven’t seen the videos, but I’ll take your word for it. :eek: Score one for the good guys. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/47 "2006-06-08T16:52:49Z")
Nick Berg’s Dad’s take: [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn\_topstories&eref=yahoo](http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn_topstories&eref=yahoo) I don’t share his sentiments, but it’s interesting that the one man who has the most right to be happy about this, isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/48 "2006-06-08T17:12:25Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > 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. Ah. Well, he wasn’t ALL bad, then. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/49 "2006-06-08T17:14:29Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Nick Berg’s Dad’s take: > > [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn\_topstories&eref=yahoo](http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn_topstories&eref=yahoo) > > I don’t share his sentiments, but it’s interesting that the one man who has the most right to be happy about this, isn’t. Awesome and beautiful. I exactly share his sentiments. Anyone rejoicing over this should read it again and again until they realize the wisdom and compassion of Berg’s father. I feel zero happiness about the death of Zaqawi. If I did, it would be purely for vengeful reasons because I don’t think this will ease terrorism one bit, and will probably have the opposite effect. As I’m not a vengeful man, nothing. If you feel “joy” because you think this will stem terrorism, good for you. If you feel joy just because we killed a bad guy, I think you’re a sick fuck, and quite similar to Zaqawi on a pretty fundamental level. ---
**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, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/50 "2006-06-08T17:15:50Z")
> [@Larry Borgia](#): > > Nick Berg’s Dad’s take: > > [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn\_topstories&eref=yahoo](http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/08/berg.interview/index.html?section=cnn_topstories&eref=yahoo) > > I don’t share his sentiments, but it’s interesting that the one man who has the most right to be happy about this, isn’t. I seen many similar statements from the families of victims in Northern Ireland. When you’ve felt that sort of pain some people just don’t want anyone else to feel it. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/51 "2006-06-08T17:17:20Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > If you feel “joy” because you think this will stem terrorism, good for you. If you feel joy just because we killed a bad guy, I think you’re a sick fuck, and quite similar to Zaqawi on a pretty fundamental level. I’ll wear sick fuck as a badge of honor… You don’t try to understand the rattlesnake coiled up in your garage. You kill it. ---
**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, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/52 "2006-06-08T17:38:13Z")
Sick Fuck, with Oak Leaf Clusters. I’ll wear it proudly. ---
**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, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/53 "2006-06-08T17:38:56Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > If you feel joy just because we killed a bad guy, I think you’re a sick fuck, and quite similar to Zaqawi on a pretty fundamental level. That’s an awful big stretch. If you really believe that, it’s safe to say that your opinion means exactly dick. In particular, your association between concepts is so fucking skewed, I wouldn’t know how to apply it even if I wanted to stop being a “sick fuck”. ---
**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, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/54 "2006-06-08T17:40:49Z")
Berg’s father nailed it perfectly. He flew off the rails a little bit at the end, but other then that, spot on. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/55 "2006-06-08T17:44:59Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Awesome and beautiful. > > I exactly share his sentiments. Anyone rejoicing over this should read it again and again until they realize the wisdom and compassion of Berg’s father. > > I feel zero happiness about the death of Zaqawi. If I did, it would be purely for vengeful reasons because I don’t think this will ease terrorism one bit, and will probably have the opposite effect. As I’m not a vengeful man, nothing. > > If you feel “joy” because you think this will stem terrorism, good for you. If you feel joy just because we killed a bad guy, I think you’re a sick fuck, and quite similar to Zaqawi on a pretty fundamental level. With a few mouse clicks, I can see my son’s head ‘sawed’ from his shoulders. Only the flooding of his throat with his own blood silences his awful screams. You too can see my son beheaded, for it is available on the very internet you’re using now. There, for everyone to see, like an advertisement. The brutal\* slaying of my son. The imposition of maximum suffering. And, hey, you know, that video and his screams will be the last living record of my son that I will ever know. Please allow for my hatred. \*There isn’t quite any word which could be used to accurately portray the viciousness of that deed. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/56 "2006-06-08T17:50:50Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > That’s an awful big stretch. If you really believe that, it’s safe to say that your opinion means exactly dick. In particular, your association between concepts is so fucking skewed, I wouldn’t know how to apply it even if I wanted to stop being a “sick fuck”. It’s not a stretch at all. On a fundamental level, someone who rejoices in this for vengence’s sake and Zaqawi both believe that death is a justifiable outcome for actions that you deem reprehensible. That’s about as fundamental as personal philosophy gets. And I think it makes you a sick fuck whether your justification is retribution for a stray US bomb in 1991, or a hijacked airliner in 2001. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/57 "2006-06-08T17:54:24Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > It’s not a stretch at all. > > On a fundamental level, someone who rejoices in this for vengence’s sake and Zaqawi both **believe** that death is a justifiable outcome for actions that you deem reprehensible. > > That’s about as fundamental as personal philosophy gets. And I think it makes you a sick fuck whether your justification is retribution for a stray US bomb in 1991, or a hijacked airliner in 2001. Except, one of the above took the belief a bit farther. \*emphasis added ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/58 "2006-06-08T18:00:07Z")
I never know what to say in threads like these. What do you say in a thread about a dead fundamentalist terrorist? “So long, screwy, see you in St. Louie?” “Adios, dipshit, your cause is a failure, hope you like sucking Hitler’s cock in hell?” I’m really out of my element here. Even when it’s a person this terrible (although there are few), I hate celebrating when somebody gets killed. I don’t feel like I’m celebrating right now, but I can’t be sad he’s dead either. By the way, can we start a pool on how long it will take Ann Coulter to say that Mr. Berg is happy that his son is dead? I’ll give it 48 hours, just because Zarqawi’s death puts a lot on her plate. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/59 "2006-06-08T18:02:45Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > Except, one of the above took the belief a bit farther. Only one of the above had the chance to. What kind of mindset do you believe our troops in Haditha possessed? That of Zaqawi or that of Mr. Berg? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874/60 "2006-06-08T18:12:31Z")
Does anyone else wonder why men as misogynistic as fundamentalist Muslims would _want_ 72 female anything ? If I treated women like they do, I’d be terrified to be outnumbered like that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-zaqawi-gets-his-72-virgins/359874.md?page=4)