I don't know that it was at Jesus' request...but without the actions of Judas, what would the message of Christianity be? Without Judas, would Jesus have been crucified?

It was all a part of the plan.

The act was certainly not something Christ was behind. He prayed until His sweat was bloody, and asked that the cup (speaking of the death to come) be passed from Him. Christ was hated, and would have been attacked by the religious elite of His day anyway.

If I may explain, from a Biblical perspective, the events that took place here, it may help. Man consistantly takes the position that prophesy is fulfilled by men acting on and of their own volition, to bring it to pass. This has consistantly failed. Moses murdered an Egyptian that whipped a Hebrew slave, because he thought, as the prophetic deliverer, that that was Gods will. It was not. Instead it was when he was an old man that had little self esteem. God appeared to him and despite Moses' protest Godsent him to fulfill the Prophecy. David seeing the ark one day felt that The Ark of The Covenant should be in better housing than animal skin. He checked with Samuel, and with the blessing of Samuel (not God) David ordered the temple to be built. God interrupted this venture, because it wasnt His will,and He didnt need help. Jesus did NOTHING unless His Father sent Him. That is to say the Holy Spirit had to direct Him in life. Now it would be suicide (and therefore a sin) to tell judas to sell Him out to the pharisees and sadducees. It would also be moving before The Prophecy, instead of in it. The Prophecy is The Word. Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of The Word and therefore could not move outside of, or before the prompting of The Word. When He was asked by Mary to help at a wedding He attended, He answered,"what have I to do with thee, my hour is not yet come." and again when Judas approached with the pharisees and sadducees He said,"The hour is come." He was waiting for the appropriate time for the appropriate actions. Asking or ordering a man to do something that would condemn his soul is also out of the will of God. God "isn't willing that any should perish". Subjecting Judas to something he didnt decide to do would mean God committed the sin through Judas. This, I assure you, is impossible.God is no respector of persons. So He didnt arbitrarily pick someone and say,"you look like you need damnation." Doesnt work that way. God predestines by foreknowledge. In essence God knew that Judas loved money more than Christ, But He had to give Judas a chance to decide for himself. This was the free will of Judas being expressed, and the foreknowledge of Christ being vindicated. Read Pauls epistles in the new testament. He speaks of predestination, free moral agency (or will), and the leadership of The Holy Spirit.

This depends on one thing - If you accept the Gospel of Judas into biblical canon or not. If yes, then yes, if no, then no.

Judas had a choice just as the other apostles...Jesus knew Judas heart though when HE chose him....just as HE knew Peter's when Cephas denied HIM 3 times....

He was a traitor, but Jesus already knew that... it was part of the grand plan for salvation

I don't think he was a traitor. I think he thought he was helping Jesus out. Judas was expecting a conquering king, like all the Jews were expecting. He thought if he gave Jesus a little push then Jesus would finally fulfil the destiny Judas expected and destroy the Romans.