A coward's tribute to Margaret Hassan

Al-Ahram Weekly ^ | November 26, 2004 | Tom Nagy

[politicalmerc]

I am nothing more than a timid college professor, but the likely murder of Margaret Hassan compels me to respond to her honesty, hospitality and ultimate sacrifice with my own painful, but ultimately hopeful tribute.

Margaret Hassan and I met in Baghdad for several hours in early October 2002, under the most dire circumstances -- a looming American invasion. Care-Australia of Baghdad, which Margaret headed, served as the lead NGO for water rehabilitation in Iraq.

My passport held my credentials: letters identifying me as a reporter for the Progressive Magazine and as a researcher for the Canadian affiliate of the Nobel Peace Prize awardee, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

I was travelling to Iraq to estimate the level of child mortality that would result if the US government unleashed its threatened war of "Shock and Awe". I had also come to Iraq as a member of a group of ageing pacifists called the Iraq Peace Team.

[politicalmerc]

Look at the mentality of those we are dealing with. Hassan's murder was our fault. Unbelievable.

[TexasTaysor]

He is even more screwed up than he realizes

[Prime Choice]

You must remember: the Leftists have such a warped world view that they fear the actions of the ruthless Red State Christians who vote, but see Islamofascists who saw people's heads off as "simply misunderstood."

Leftists don't care how evil our enemies are; they'll always cheer for them while they jeer at us.

[Bogey78O]

"Nevertheless, Iraq was required by the US-dominated UN to pay 100 per cent of the cost of these shipments at the border"

When did the US suddenly become the source of France's duplicity?

[Horatio Gates]

I was beyond caring. A part of me wanted to die.

Well doggone it then, get back to the Iraq Peace Team and interpose yourself in front of the US bombs and missles.

[politicalmerc]

One of the best books I ever read was "Bias" By Goldberg. The one thing he pointed out in the book that has truly helped me understand the enemy is that they really think they are mainstream and all of us are kooks.

Dan Rather berated Goldberg for writing in the WSJ because it was conservative. Goldberg said what would you rate the NYT? Rather: Mainstream America of course.

That delusion is what fuels their loony behavior. Read their bs with that in mind and you will see what I mean.

JH

[Bogey78O]

Go read their "proof" sites. Same thing. They accept things as true based upon a mythical common perception.

[jocon307]

"The writer is professor of Expert Systems in the School of Business at George Washington University, Washington, DC. His writings include, "The Secret Behind the Sanctions: How the US Intentionally Destroyed Iraq's Water Supply,"

Very sick stuff. I'm glad my daughter didn't end up at GWU, that's all I can say.

Leftists, leftists everywhere and not a mind to think!

This poor woman Mrs. Hassan, she died in vain. All over the world those of Irish Nationality try and do good. So often they are rewarded with death in a horrible way. It's not right.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

So this butt-wipe failed to save his friend. How ineffective he is.

[USNBandit]

This guy's article is a completely baseless. When a target list says hit an electrical transformer yard and not the generating station next door, it is being done for humanitarian reasons. The transformer yard can be up and running in a week, cracking the floor in the generating station means the whole building has to be replaced.

These leftists continue to deny that despite the efforts of the terrorist attacking Coalition troops, and more often Iraqi civilians, we are producing more clean water and more electrical power than anytime in the recent past. Saddam took his country into the stone age by his own choice and for his own personal gain.

[ErnBatavia]

a group of ageing pacifists

Old hippies are kinda fun to look at....takes my wife's attention away from my double-knit bellbottoms.

[Innisfree]

Citing "medical advice" to justify the intelligent decision to leave Iraq on the eve of war is cowardly, indeed. I could do without the self-serving references to his organization, also.

His perspective and Hassan's alleged remarks make no sense at all. If one were living under a brutal, dictatorial regime, complete with torture chambers, rape rooms and mass graves would one's first and primary political concern be the service quality of the infrastructure? The water supply? This seems a bit loony to me.

The concept that there is never a rationalization for violence, not even in self-defense, is pathological.

[treeclimber]

who is this bed-wetter?

[oldbrowser]

Can there be any more fitting memorial to Margaret than to make wars and invasions impossible by interposing our bodies between their child-victims and the terror weapons of our own governments? Let us call future pacifist groups who take on this mission Margaret Hassan Peace Teams.

1) it is the terrorist that are blowing up all of the Iraqi infrastructure.
2) Margaret Hassan was killed by the terrorist.
3) our own government is not using terror weapons against child-victims.
4) Why didn't you interpose you body between Sadam and the hundreds of thousands of his victims.