"HUMAN SHIELDS" NOW ATTEMPTING TO FLEE BAGHDAD (GREAT READ!) From Australia

The Australian Age (Australia) ^ | 1 April 2003 | The Australian Age (Australia)

[AmericanInTokyo]

"Human Shields Flee Baghdad"

Tuesday 1 April 2003, 8:05 AM

Australian human shield Donna Mulhearn has fled Baghdad for Amman before what is expected to be a bloody battle for the capital.

The 34-year-old said she and five other people arrived in Jordan on Sunday night, after paying a driver the equivalent of $A1,250 to drive them out of Iraq.

She said the trip would normally cost less than $A16.71 on a bus.

Ms Mulhearn said she met Australian SAS soldiers about 200km west of Baghdad at a roadblock, describing them as professional.

"I was actually quite relieved when I saw they were Australians," she told the Nine Network. Ms Mulhearn said her main reason for leaving Iraq was to avoid chaos and possibly civil strife when coalition troops arrived.

"... the human shields started to discuss what would happen when, or if, the American troops came into Baghdad and a ground war began," she said.

"We were unsure of what our status would be in that situation and we were unsure of how the coalition troops would see us, and how they would treat us, and what they would do with us.

"So in order to avoid any type of confrontation we decided it was best to leave before we met them."

Ms Mulhearn said Baghdad was covered in thick black smoke, its streets deserted and government buildings destroyed. "The feeling is getting more tense by the day," she said. "The Iraqi people are starting to get quite fed up and quite angry with the coalition forces because these ordinary Iraqi families just want to get on with their lives in peace."

[demnomo]

Believe it or not, I personally met several times that particular 'human shield'...

Wow, that's right, I seem to recall that he was living with his family in Japan. (His family left Iraq after WWII to help rebuild Japan...or something like that.) I don't know when this segment will be airing. Hopefully, some informed FReeper will let us know by putting a thread up regarding the date and time.

[SolutionsOnly]

"RUN AWAY!" "RUN AWAY!"
-monty python and the holy grail-

[thegreatbeast]

First, Barbara hasn't left NY and is simply doing voice over stuff on a lot of this. She's not humping in the desert digging up the stories. A little reality check there.
This is not the time to do a Up Close & Personal with Babs or Robert Redford or Lady Di's bodyguard now is it? Walters is simply going to work and doing what they put in front of her. Thankful that they haven't put her out to hang without makeup like they did poor Ted Koppel! When did he pass away?

[MattinNJ]

"Australian human shield Donna Mulhearn has fled Baghdad...I was actually quite relieved when I saw they were Australians"

Let me get this straight. Back home you were calling Australian soldiers butchers of women and children, but now your relieved to see them. Is it me, or do liberals not make any sense. I would have laughed my ass off if the Aussies chipped in and paid the bus driver to taker back to Bagdhad.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The man's name is Ken Joseph Jr. of Assyrian Christians.

"I Was Wrong", by Ken Joseph Jr.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Today Humanitarian aid comes aboard the "Sir Galahad."

In other news the "human sheilds" also left in the ship "Sir Robin."

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

There is nothing to that effect yet on Barbara Walters' schedule (schedule subject to change, of course!).

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I'll try to remember to ping you re: the Joseph segment!

[demnomo]

Thanks for the links!

[VeritatisSplendor]

I saw the pastor's article. It was my impression that he had pretended anti-war convictions in order to get into Iraq as a human shield, in order to report on the pro-war feelings he found there and his "conversion." I could be wrong of course, but I am not too fond of guile. Unless it's so good I don't notice it. ;-]

Mrs VS

[headsonpikes]

Seeing 'human shields' torn apart by angry mobs in Bagtown might be shocking, and awful, but it could be a wake-up call for the '30-something' adolescents of Liberal America.

[cgk]

Amen.

"We were unsure of what our status would be in that situation and we were unsure of how the coalition troops would see us, and how they would treat us, and what they would do with us."

That's easy, dear. You heard the President. You're either with us, or against us.

[The Toad]

"The Iraqi people are starting to get quite fed up and quite angry with the coalition forces because these ordinary Iraqi families just want to get on with their lives in peace."

Then demand that your leader, Saddam, surrender.

[journey7873]

Reminds me of..."Run away, run away", from the Holy Grail.

[Charles Martel]

In other news the "human sheilds" also left in the ship "Sir Robin."

"When danger reared its ugly head,
they bravely turned their tails and fled..."

Maybe they'll have better luck "shielding" the Vicious Chicken of Bristol, eh? Naah, probably not.

:-)

[Pearls Before Swine]

On a related note, one of the "Human Shields" (an assyrian Pastor, I believe) who finally saw the light had escaped earlier with smuggled video interviews of oppressed Iraqi people.

Although clearly naive, it appears he may have at least been a man of integrity.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Uday, bring me the "comfy chair"

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I don't agree at all. The first several paragraphs of his article led me to believe he's been firm with his anti-war views for a LONG time.

Excerpt:

As a minister and due to my personal convictions I have always been against war for any and all reasons. It was precisely this moral conviction that led me to do all I could to stop the current war in Iraq.

From participating in demonstrations against the war in Japan to strongly opposing it on my radio program, on television and in regular columns I did my best to stand against what I thought to be an unjust war against an innocent people - in fact my people.