Iraq's tireless worker killed in Iraq.

[Fidelbrand]

Iraq's tireless worker killed in the country she loved (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3611198&thesection=news&thesubsection=world)

ok, cool. You adorn yourselves as freedom fighters, anti-imperialists.
but.....killing that holy lady, with all the good intentions to help your fellow locals.... for the sake of denounciating pre-emptive-but-in-fact-imperialist dogs???

Appalling, absolutely unacceptable!

May "Iraq's quiet, unassuming, determined best friend" rest in peace...... in peace.

P.s. some newpaper said she was shot instead of beheaded. :( (So......?)

comments?

http://appledaily.atnext.com/images/apple-photos/640pix/20041118/Article_int/18wc3p.jpg

[rainyday]

At the risk of sounding heartless all I have to say is that if you choose to put yourself in the middle of a war like this, no matter what your intentions may be, you run the risk of being killed.
I feel more for the innocent Iraqi people that died for no other reason than they happen to be Iraqi.

[Intifada]

feel more for the innocent Iraqi people that died for no other reason than they happen to be Iraqi.

She had Iraqi citizenship after living their for 30 years. She did more for Iraq than most other Iraqis.

Whoever is responsible for her killing is simply the biggest idiot in Iraq.

May she Rest in Peace.

[Fidelbrand]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2004, 11:07 PM
At the risk of sounding heartless all I have to say is that if you choose to put yourself in the middle of a war like this, no matter what your intentions may be, you run the risk of being killed.
I feel more for the innocent Iraqi people that died for no other reason than they happen to be Iraqi.
Do you know what you are talking about? At the risk of sounding harsh, get your logics correct before you say something.
This woman has been here before the war as a humanitarian worker, so she deserves to run the risk of being killed, yeh, lets include her too~

[Sabocat]

I think this is a pretty good commentary including some comments by Robert Fisk. This article appeared on the WSWS today and it raises some pretty good points.

Leading journalist Robert Fisk asks: Who killed Margaret Hassan?
By Chris Marsden
18 November 2004


Leading Middle East commentator Robert Fisk has questioned just who is responsible for the apparent murder of aid worker Margaret Hassan in Iraq.

In a front-page article in the November 17 Independent newspaper, Fisk raises a number of important questions that throw doubt on the official version of events that Hassan was killed by Iraqi insurgents.

Fisk is a man whose opinions on Iraqi affairs should be taken seriously. Now a journalist for the Independent, he is an expert on the Middle East who has lived in Beirut for more than 25 years and wrote a book on the civil war there, Pity The Nation. He has written extensively on Iraq and the Israeli Palestinian conflict and is one of the most highly decorated British journalists, winning the Amnesty International UK Press Awards in 1998 and in 2000.

The kidnap of Margaret Hassan on October 19 created an understandable outcry and widespread consternation, particularly because she was an outspoken opponent of the US-led war and subsequent occupation of Iraq who had dedicated herself to the cause of the Iraqi people. Hassan had lived in Iraq since 1972 after meeting her husband Tahseen Ali Hassan when he was studying in Britain. She converted to Islam and took Iraqi citizenship. After the 1991 Persian Gulf War, she became a director of the humanitarian organisation Care International and a vocal opponent of United Nations sanctions.

That such a person had apparently been seized by an unnamed resistance group became an invaluable propaganda weapon for the British and US governments, with Prime Minister Tony Blair and others making public statements on what it revealed about the character of the forces opposed to the supposed efforts to establish a democratic government in Iraq.

Following the release of a tape showing a woman being shot through the back of the head, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that Hassan had “probably been murdered, although we cannot conclude this with complete certainty...

“To kidnap and kill anyone is inexcusable. But it is repugnant to commit such a crime against a woman who has spent most of her life working for the good of the people of Iraq,”

In his article “What price innocence in the anarchy of Iraq?” Fisk acknowledges that many will be forced by Hassan’s possible death to question “how much further can we fall into the Iraqi pit?” But he continues, “For the bureaucrats and the western leaders who will today express their outrage and sorrow at her reported death, she had nothing but scorn.”

He then enumerates a number of factual and political inconsistencies in the events surrounding Hassan’s abduction.

Firstly, Fisk draws attention to earlier videos of Hassan released by her kidnappers (on October 19, 22 and 27) in which she is shown crying and pleading for the withdrawal of the UK’s Black Watch regiment.

He notes, “In the background of these appalling pictures, there were none of the usual Islamic banners. There were none of the usual armed and hooded men. No Koranic recitations.”

He goes on, “And when it percolated through to Fallujah and Ramadi that the mere act of kidnapping Margaret Hassan was close to heresy, the combined resistance groups of Fallujah—and the message genuinely came from them—demanded her release. So, incredibly, did Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qa’ida man whom the Americans falsely claim to be leading the Iraqi insurrection—but who has very definitely been involved in kidnapping and beheading foreigners.”

Fisk adds, “Other abducted women—the two Italian aid workers, for example—were freed when their captors recognised their innocence. But not Margaret Hassan, even though she spoke fluent Arabic and could explain her work to her captors in their own language.”

Why would any group opposed to the occupation proceed so ruthlessly against Margaret Hassan given such widespread demands for her release, including a demonstration by Iraqis in Baghdad on October 25?

Fisk indicates one alternative grouping that could possibly have seized Hassan. He notes what he refers to as “one mysterious video that floated to the surface this year, a group of armed men promising to seize Zarqawi, claiming he was anti-Iraqi, politely referring to the occupation armies as the ‘coalition forces.’ This was quickly nicknamed the ‘Allawi tape’: after the US-appointed, ex-CIA agent and ex-Baathist who holds the title of ‘interim Prime Minister’ in Iraq, the same Allawi who fatuously claimed there were no civilian deaths in Fallujah.”

More generally, Fisk concludes with remarks that ask the question: who gains from Margaret Hassan’s death?

He writes, “So, if anyone doubted the murderous nature of the insurgents, what better way to prove their viciousness than to produce evidence of Margaret Hassan’s murder? What more ruthless way could there be of demonstrating to the world that America and Allawi’s tinpot army were fighting ‘evil’ in Fallujah and the other Iraqi cities that are now controlled by Washington’s enemies.”

Fisk states that “nobody is suggesting that people associated with the government of Mr Allawi had a hand in Margaret Hassan’s death,” and notes that Iraq is “awash with up to 20 insurgent groups” as well as “rival gangs of criminals seeking to extort money from hostage-taking”:

“But still the question has to be answered: who killed Margaret Hassan?”

Should Hassan’s death be confirmed, this is a question that must indeed be answered. And it is entirely legitimate to ask, as Fisk does, Cui Bono—who benefits?

Link (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/nov2004/fisk-n18.shtml)

[Fidelbrand]

Thanks, Dis, it was a worthy read.

In one of my local newspapers, it was quoted that Zarqawi's team actually made a declaration in hope to save Miss Hassan, " Allah taught us not to hurt those women who are not at war with us." ...

Hostaging in Iraq seems uncontrollable at this stage.

[Marley]

My first thoughts upon hearing that Margaret Hassan had been kidnapped was "those bloddy Iraqis, kidnapping an innocent woman, and one of their own to!". But then logic kicked in, i realised that none of the "true" (for want of a better word) rebel would do so, in light of that i chalked it up to some criminal group who would use her as a hostage for financial or political gain.

When i heared word that she had been executed, and in a very different way to all the other hostages who have been taken i might add, not to mention without any demands that other groups within Iraq hadn't made before. It became clear to me that something was not quite right with the entire situation. Why would they kidnap an innocent fellow Muslim, who was also against the war? It simply makes no sense...but then again, we know the US governments position on hiring terrorists or mercinary groups to do their dirty work for them, and that their pollitical agenda, and justification of the war could have been advanced through this action.

But then again, it could just have been some sick person wanting to cause uproar. Personally I don't WANT to think that any government would stoop so low as to execute an innocent person, but in todays world, well let's just say that i have very little faith in politicians, and the government in general.

[rainyday]

I'm not saying she deserved what she got
But she knew the risk she was taking by doing the type of work she did
It is terrible what happened to her but no less terrible than what has happened to the 100,000 + other Iraqi's who did not have jobs that were "risky"

[fuerzasocialista]

Great article Disgustapated. This could very well have been carried out by certaon mercenaries/operatives to gain more sympathy for the "coalition".

[Sabocat]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18 2004, 12:50 PM
Great article Disgustapated. This could very well have been carried out by certaon mercenaries/operatives to gain more sympathy for the "coalition".
My thinking exactly.

There is a very large number of CIA and other spooks on the ground there. I wouldn't put it past any of them to do such a thing.

[Intifada]

I also believe that this murder would be beyond the Iraqi resistance.

They simply couldn't do such a stupid thing.

It doesn't add up.

[refuse_resist]

Originally posted by Disgustapated+Nov 18 2004, 05:57 PM--> (Disgustapated @ Nov 18 2004, 05:57 PM)
[email protected] 18 2004, 12:50 PM
Great article Disgustapated. This could very well have been carried out by certaon mercenaries/operatives to gain more sympathy for the "coalition".
My thinking exactly.

There is a very large number of CIA and other spooks on the ground there. I wouldn't put it past any of them to do such a thing. [/b]
Exactly. Whatever the case was, it's clear whoever kidnapped and executed her had ties to the CIA, U.S. or Britain and did this for propaganda reasons. I mean why the would insurgency want to do this to someone that's helping people that are in need. It just doesn't make sense.