'POISON' PENN IN IRAQ
Sat Dec 14, 6:32 AM ET
Entertainment - PageSix.com Gossip/Celeb
By BRIDGET HARRISON
Move over, "Hanoi Jane," here comes "Baghdad Sean."
The latest actor to turn self-styled peacenik, Sean Penn (news), arrived in Iraq for a three-day tour yesterday - claiming he wants to learn more about the "frightening" Iraq-U.S. crisis.
The former Hollywood bad boy started his personal fact-finding mission with a visit to a Baghdad children's hospital - and is set to meet Iraqi health officials today.
Penn - who in October shelled out $56,000 for an advertisement in The Washington Post accusing President Bush (news - web sites) of stifling debate over Iraq - said the purpose of his jaunt to Iraq is to "pursue a deeper understanding" of the conflict.
"I would hope that all Americans will embrace information available to them outside conventional channels," the 42-year-old actor said in a statement.
"As a father, an actor, a filmmaker and a patriot, my visit to Iraq is for me a natural extension of my obligation to find my own voice on matters of conscience."
Upon arrival at the Al-Mansour Children's Hospital yesterday, the well-known hothead refused to talk to reporters or allow them to join his tour of the hospital, saying he needed privacy with the sick children.
The State Department refused to comment on Penn's trip - but Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) lambasted Penn's peace ploy.
"The guy's lucky he can act and should leave it at that," King told The Post. "It gives recognition to Hussein that he doesn't deserve. It gives an acknowledgment to Iraq that it doesn't deserve."
King added, "You'd think these guys would have learned their lesson from Jane Fonda (news)."
The congressman was referring to Jane Fonda's infamous two-week trip to North Vietnam in 1972, when the U.S.-bashing actress - forever after branded "Hanoi Jane" - toured villages, hospitals, schools and factories, accompanied by military officials.
She called American soldiers "war criminals."
Penn, whose trip was organized by the Institute of Public Accuracy, is staying in Baghdad's Al-Rashid Hotel - a favorite watering hole of the foreign press. His wife, actress Robin Wright Penn (news), and their two sons stayed home.
Today, Penn is expecting to meet with officials from Iraq's Health Ministry and has slated an news conference for tomorrow, a spokesperson for the IPA told The Post.
Penn is also set to visit Baghdad's Al-Wathba water-treatment plant, which was damaged by U.S. bombing during the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites).
Additional reporting by Brian Blomquist
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