Human shields warned over Iraq

The Courier mail - Australia ^ | 14 FEB 2003 | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

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Human shields warned over Iraq

14feb03

AUSTRALIANS planning to become human shields in Iraq were foolish and might not be able to be evacuated if war broke out, a senior foreign affairs official has said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned its ability to help any Australian civilian wanting to leave Iraq during military conflict was very limited.

"These people are, frankly, quite foolish for putting themselves in this position," Rod Smith, assistant secretary of DFAT's consular branch, said in response to a question from Labor's John Faulkner at a senate estimates committee.

"If there was an Australian there as a human shield, then presumably that person is intent on remaining when conflict begins ...

"If they change their mind and said 'I'm sorry I made a terrible mistake, get me out', we would obviously do what we could to get the individual out.

"But it has to be understood that our ability to assist in those circumstances would be very, very limited and that is a point we need to reinforce."

A former political adviser to the NSW government, Donna Mulhearn, has left Australia to join other so-called "human shields" opposed to any US-led invasion of Iraq.

The human shield project has been organised by anti-war organisation Become the Change. Dozens of peace campaigners from Britain and the US plan to take part.

Mr Smith said he knew of press reports about one Australian who had left for Iraq as a human shield, but the individual had not registered with the department.

Mr Smith said he had held general talks with his US and UK counterparts over the human shield project.

Australians now in Iraq with the United Nations would be covered by UN evacuation plans in the event of military conflict, Mr Smith said.

[vannrox]

Hum...

[Commander8]

Foolish doesn't even begin to describe the actions of these people.

[ecurbh]

Darwin awards, here we come!

What a bunch of maroons!

[F.J. Mitchell]

Human shields should be treated with all the courtesy, respect and sympathy shown sand bags around a bunker-that is what they have chosen to become.

To hell with their traitorous hides, whether they be Americans or anyone else!

[Brad’s Gramma]

, we would obviously do what we could to get the individual out.

Why?

[Mr. Lucky]

Doesn't the bombing of an Iraqi WMD installation surrounded by human shields present the quintessential win-win situation?

[gov_bean_ counter]

What can you do about adults who willingly and foolishly place themselves in harms way. Absolutely nothing.

Reminds me of the idiots who would not evacuate Boloxi, MS when hurricane Cammille was bearing down. Emergency folks went from hotel room to hotel room, house to house getting the names of the next of kin. Over 200 perished.

[Hoverbug]

I believe the human shields are about to learn from the school of hard knocks that actions have consequences.

[LaGrone]

These idiots' actions are hilarious.

[mabelkitty]

SSsshhh! We're trying to keep this a secret. We're using it to thin out the weakest of the human race.

[luckodeirish]

That's OK, let's get them out of the gene pool while we can.

[Lady Jag]

Those people have death wishes and are too chicken to off themselves, so they put a screen name on it, calling themselves human shields, and the media makes a big deal of it.

Dear human shields,
You mean nothing to anyone. I can't tell you to get a life because apparently you don't want one. I don't care. Sayonara and if you survive, don't bother coming back.

[CindyDawg]

We didn't help them get there and I don't think we should risk our military trying to help them get out. Let them find their own way home.

[skinkinthegrass]

FUTURE WORM FOOD....Food is Food...be they Iraqi, American or Aussie Baghdad Peace Shields

[Lady Jag]

I think they already ate all the worms in Iraq (except for Saddamn). We'll have to fly some in.

[Lady Jag]

But they can always go Soylent Green if they haven't already.

[Amerigomag]

"These people are, frankly, quite foolish for putting themselves in this position.."

Here in lies our only real dilema in our Iraq policy. What to do with the human shields that the UN has now positioned in Iraq and how to convince the Security Council, especially the French, that sending more is cruel.

We aren't going to be deterred by the substantial and regretable possibilty of the loss of life of UN inspectors.

I'm keeping a sharp eye open for any excuse that removes UN weapons inspectors from Iraq in the next two weeks. I think everyone is hoping that Iraq will do something foolish which provides this excuse.

[kcordell]

These idiots' actions are hilarious.

These fools will be the first ones to duck when the rockets start falling.

[Russian Sage]

The battle shouldn't be their biggest worry. If they survive
they will have to face the wrath of the liberated Iraqis.

[doug from upland]

Do not risk the life of one soldier to rescue these idiots.