CNN reporting aid worker Margaret Hassan was executed in Iraq

[Pirate Smile]

There is a video and the Brit's said it is assumed to be real.

edit to add - http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/16/international/middleeast/16cnd-hass.html?hp&ex=1100667600&en=2fbd89de887e780e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[WI_DEM]

1. more blood on Bush's hands

[LisaM]

11. And Blair's hands

I hate Tony Blair. He is adding legitimacy to Bush's folly, just because he can turn a phrase around.

[IndianaGreen]

32. This blood is on the terrorists' hands

Let's not kid ourselves, the animals that murdered Margaret Hassan are no different from the savages of the Khmer Rouge. Murdering Hassan is just like murdering Mother Teresa! Freedom fighters don't murder the innocent, think about that the next time Hamas blows up a pizzeria in Israel. Freedom fighters do not murder the people they purport to liberate. These terrorists have killed hundreds of Iraqi civilians, and they were in the business of bombing mosques long before we did the same in Fallujah.

Let's not make the mistake of having our feelings for Bush, or our opposition to the invasion of Iraq, blind us to the fact that our troops are fighting some real bad people in there.

Here is Robert Fisk's article about the kidnapping of Margaret Hassan. Read it and make your own judgement as to the nature of the kidnappers:

Published on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 by the Independent/UK
Kidnapped - The Heroine Who Offered Hope for Iraq
by Robert Fisk

Margaret? Margaret Hassan kidnapped? She who said to me that soon, very soon, "there will be more than one lost generation" in Iraq?

Is there no end to the kidnappers' targets? Margaret Hassan was abducted at 7.30 yesterday morning on her way to work running Care International's Iraq operation. Soon afterwards, Arabic al-Jazeera television showed her sitting in a room looking calm, if concerned. It also showed close-ups of her identification papers and said an unnamed Iraqi group claimed it had kidnapped her.

Margaret was the enemy of United Nations sanctions on Iraq. She is the symbol of all those who believe that Iraq - a real, free, unoccupied Iraq - has a future; and all we can be told is that she, too, has joined the legion of the unpersons, the "disappeared", the list of those who, because of their language or the colour of their eyes or their nationality, have slipped into Iraq's dark hole.

The ultimate disgrace yesterday was to hear British diplomats who supported those deadly sanctions weeping their crocodile tears for "Margaret".

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1020-01.htm

[minkyboodle]

41. thank you

well said IndianaGreen, couldn't agree more. The news today is heartbreaking.

[leftynyc]

42. Very, very well said (eom)

[neomonkey]

48. Humor my tin foil hypothesis even if for a brief moment

What if Ms. Hassan's kidnapping was not orchestrated by Iraqis?

I find it baffling that she would be the target of a kidnapping.

[nodehopper]

65. right...because there are no bad terrorists. they are all good.

I find it baffling that ANYONE no matter what their cause is would herd a bunch of 7-year olds into a school gym filled with explosives, but that is exactly what happened in the Chechen school hostage nightmare.

[ilovenicepeople]

99. "right..because there are no good people careing for Iraqi's.

they are all bad."I DON'T BUY IT FOR A SECOND!!!The Iraqi people probably cared more for this woman then the American public ever will.Once again another sad day for reality and logic.But if you must focus your anger back at me to make yourself feel better(you are right after all)go ahead,I'm happy just to know you felt something.

[nodehopper]

101. ???

Obvoiusly she was a great helper to the Iraqi people. Therefore it must not have been Iraqis who killed her even though they claimed responsibility for it. Right, and CIA is behind all the beheadings. Sometimes it's not all a conspiracy, sometimes it's just straightforward horror.

[magdalena]

104. Well...

from what I remember after her kidnapping, none of the major Iraqi rebel groups would claim responsibility for it and actually denounced it. Didn't Zarqawi even call for her release recently? I'm not trying to imply theres some conspiracy going on here...but it just doesn't seem the same as the majority of the other cases where these groups were flagrantly boasting of their hosties. What group is claiming responsibility for this anyways?

[nodehopper]

110. no, that is what I was trying to say

At some point Freedom Fighting splinters into murderous thug groups. Yeah, Al-Zarqawi denounced her kidnapping. I believe the group is as of yet unnamed, but there are more and more spliter groups forming every day. Warlords pretty much.

[magdalena]

115. youre absolutely right

I wasnt at all trying to attack you but I'll admit I did misunderstand your post, sorry :(


RIP Ms Hassan :cry:

[nodehopper]

122. I echo you...RIP.

[ilovenicepeople]

108. Sorry (I did say you were right though)

Forgive me for I am stupid(and DUMB)GOD BLESS AMERICA

[nodehopper]

112. you know, you don't really make any kind of sense.

[Ctrl_Alt_Del]

93. Nothing tinfoil about it

Who benefits from her death? Who does it hurt?

Answer the questions, solve the atrocity. Pretty damn simple.

[nodehopper]

113. Occam's razor is a logical fallacy.

[Ctrl_Alt_Del]

144. Sometimes it is

This could well be one of those instances. It's not like the terrorist murderers have a shred of political sense between them.

Pardon the illogical outburst... it's mostly anger, sadness and two years of endless, nagging suspicion talking.

God rest this poor, decent woman's soul.

[mike_c]

63. I think you're right, but part of the issue is the question of just who...

...actually killed Margaret Hassan? Whether or not their ultimate motives are really congruent with the Iraqi resistance effort, targeting civilians for well-publicized murder is terrorism in its most raw form. I think it's important to distinguish between the Shi'a and Sunni resistance groups who are legitimately trying to fight against a foreign occupation by targeting foreign military and collaboration gov't forces, and those whose motives embrace the killing of civilian aid workers like Ms. Hassan for shock value.

It's easy to wield the "terrorist" brush too broadly-- and I'm NOT suggesting that you are doing so, but I think we both realize that many will respond to this news by doing just that. Killing Ms. Hassan does not serve the interests of the resistance movements at all.

on edit: see #61.

[nodehopper]

66. resistance movements tend to devolve into ignoble killing machines

[mike_c]

72. as do foreign occupations....

[nodehopper]

76. there is a difference

foreign occupations didn't have an ethical platform to stand for at all, from the get-go.

[mike_c]

78. agreed....

[MoonRiver]

81. Totally agree.

I feel such sorrow for this wonderful woman and her family. No words.

[Zhade]

91. While the majority of resistance fighters do not target civilians...

...it is indeed true that criminals and groups like Tahid wal Jihad think nothing of killing innocents.

You remarks will probably go a long way to shut up some of the more rightwing DUers (especially pro-Sharon ones), but I'm even more glad you said this because it's important the distinction be made between the Iraqi resistance and the (often non-Iraqi) terrorists present in Iraq.

[othermeans]

134. Would she be dead if the US hadn't invaded/liberated Iraq?

[IndianaGreen]

138. She was an Iraqi citizen and a Muslim

She was killed by terrorists that have been killing Iraqis and bombing mosques long before the insurgency began after the fall of Saddam.

The people that murdered her are no different from the terrorists that butchered all those women and children in Beslan, many of them Muslims.

I will propose that the terrorists acted out of pure racism. To them, any Westener is evil just like some of our own people see Muslims as "ragheads." Racism is an equal opportunity employer!

[othermeans]

158. Again I ask: Would she be dead if the US hadn't invaded/liberated Iraq?

[IndianaGreen]

159. Do you think Al-Qaeda and their ilk care about Iraqi liberation?

All they care about is imposing their extreme religious views on the Muslim world at large, and in purging their respective countries of decadent Western culture. And yes, they also want to murder all Jews and to destroy Israel.

If we had left Iraq the day after we took Baghdad, the terrorists would still be murdering Iraqis that did not conform to their religious dogma.

I will point out that Osama bin Laden and the Wahabis of Saudi Arabia see Shia Islam as a heresy!

[othermeans]

160. Well I guess you were in favor of the invasion. Enjoy

[IndianaGreen]

163. I was actually very much opposed to the invasion of Iraq

because it was a war of aggression in violation of international law, just as I relentlessly criticized those that voted for the Iraq War Resolution. I must admit that the worse case scenario that we all envisioned would result from this war was tame compare to the nightmarish reality of Occupation.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

156. BFEE elements killed her to trump the Fallujah massacre horror. PsyOps.

I HAVE NOT ONE IOTA OF DOUBT that people working for the Neo-con Empire kept her life in their hands to play as a card on the table of American domestic opinion to counter the inevitable horror of the Fallujah massacre of civilians by US troops when it came to light. They saved her death for a rainy day in the PR game, for when they NEEDED IT.

No doubt whatsoever. That's how the fucking bloody game is played. Watch. This has happened several times already. Will again, too.

As soon as that video of the Marine executing an unarmed wounded Iraqi in a mosque went public, they played the Sainted Lady Gets Killed by Hooded Evil card. Slapped it right down and claimed their outrage payoff. Royal straight flush!

From what I've learned about media control by the CIA and what I've seen as news cycle manipulation during this entire corporate coup, any other conclusion would be delusional or uninformed.

I...am...DEAD...certain...of this. So help me Gods. It will happen again. No question. Just...watch. I bet you everything.

"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four.
If that is granted, all else follows."
-George Orwell in 1984

[NVMojo]

162. the blood started on the NEOCONS hands and then ended up on

the terrorists hands...

[leesa]

165. How do you know the US didn't execute her to use her as justification

for their ongoing slaughter?

[Demos]

57. Bush is ultimately responsible.

None of this would have happened if he hadn't invaded Iraq.

[nodehopper]

62. that is true but

it does not absolve those who did it of any responsibility.

[devinsgram]

77. No one is saying that, the point made is that

you need to go back to the beginning and the lies that were told to get to this point. It has now taken on a snowball effect and it will get even worse as it gets bigger.

[Solitaire]

94. my thought, exactly

how very sad :(

[Clarkie1]

125. No, more blood on the ANIMALS who did this

[othermeans]

135. Are we still holding Iraqi women in jail or is that just a hoax?

[IndianaGreen]

141. The terrorists' demands are all for show!

Remember when bin Laden shed all those crocodile tears for the Palestinians as justification for his acts of terrorism? It was nothing but bullshit! Bin Laden doesn't care about Palestinians anymore than the Iraqi terrorists care about women prisoners.

Common sense dictates that people that worry about women prisoners would not so gladly execute a humanitarian woman like Margaret Hassan.

This is all for propaganda!

[Name removed]

145. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bobbie47]

2. I just

heard this too, how awful..

[laruemtt]

3. this is too sad for words.

all she did was try to help, long before this stupid war. god rest her soul.

[Mandate My Ass]

4. The horrors just keep on coming

*

[Richardson08]

5. democracy is on the march

[nodehopper]

67. homedelivered to your doorstep by daisy-cutters as Arundhati Roy said.

[LionInWinter]

6. BBC says there's video ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4017515.stm

[chiffon]

7. So sad, especially for a relief worker trying to help.

[KingChicken]

8. The terrorists did this, please don't point at the Iraqi resistance

This is horrible, I thought they would let her go. She was only trying to help Iraq.

[Bucky]

15. Hold on, you have no proof that the Bush Admin was involved in this...

Oh wait, you mean the OTHER terrorists. My bad.

[sattahipdeep]

85. Blackwater security n/t

[atreides1]

9. This Is Sad

I'm sorry for her family.

But, I can't help but wonder if this was done in retaliation for the marine killing the wounded, unarmed insurgent?

[wicket]

10. NOOOOOO!!!!

This is so horrible :( :( :(

[Stevendsmith]

12. These are the Darkest Years of my Life

The Bush Years.

The fucking horror.

[Lefta Dissenter]

13. Oh jeez,

I was just thinking about her this morning, wondering about her fate. This is so sad. I'm really sorry for her friends and family. They must be simply crushed.

[amber dog democrat]

14. The Chimp Admin created this nightmare

and here are the consequences. But for what its worth, the one's responsible are in no way following the Koran. They are some kind of religious mutation - much the same way some so called Christian sects are, ( I am thinking Branch Dividians and Jim Jones's cult were ). Christ would have had nothing to do with them either.

I was afraid this would happen.

[DenverDem]

16. Why would Iraqis or even insurgents kill THIS woman?

Cui bono, who benefits?

Executing this woman is absolutely counterproductive to Iraqi or insurgent issues.

So, what really happened?

[ZR2]

21. Are you kidding ?

Because it makes the news. Plain and simple.

[DenverDem]

44. Exactly the reason to do it, but who does "the news" benefit?

This continues to galvanize the fundigellical crusaders against the "godless muslims", so who's propaganda campaign does this benefit?

The timing of the incident, that conveniently trumps the video evidence of American military atrocities, also calls the perpetrators' identity into question.

[Just Me]

75. When I heard this horrific news,...I asked myself the same question:

Who really benefits from such an obvious inhumane and evil act?

Not the Iraqi people,...not OBL,...not Islam,...

These times just seem darker and darker with each passing day. :cry:

[Ctrl_Alt_Del]

92. Not Zarqawi...

he called for her release more than a week ago.

This only hurts the insurgency. It's pretty easy to do the math on this one.

[CityDem]

109. And we can surely believe Zarqawi

He would never tell a lie or kill an innocent person.

[Ctrl_Alt_Del]

143. We can't believe anyone

Not Zarqawi, not the interim gov't, certainly not Bushco... Pick your poison, they're all mass-murdering scum.

But you're right, I need to catch myself before I come across like I'm putting any faith in Zarqawi. I apologize, my distaste for Shrub got the best of me.

[ilovenicepeople]

100. Plain and Simple

is never plain nor simple,but sometimes it's pretty obvious.If you believe "the news" what are you doing wallowing in the deception of the Internet?

[Minstrel Boy]

29. "an unknown group" says the BBC

There are a lot of actors in Iraq these days, and it's presumptious of us to say who's responsible for virtually anything these days.

There are guerrillas, jihadists, criminals, and some a bit of everything. And also, without a doubt, intelligence agencies, their corporate adjuncts and local assets.

[Name removed]

96. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Devil Dog Dem]

97. FREEPER!

You can run, but you can't hide!

[goodboy]

17. You're too fast...I think your post hit a second before mine...

[Ducks In A Row]

18. She was safe when Saddam was in power...

so I guess her world wasn't made safer with Bush in power.

[PlanetBev]

19. Please don't tell me that they sawed that woman's head off

Please tell me that they shot her and she died quickly.

I'm coming unhinged.

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. BBC TV did say they were told the video showed her being shot

small comfort.

[deutsey]

87. Sounds like she was brutalized before she was killed, too

Al Jazeera Obtains New Margaret Hassan Video
In news from Iraq, Al Jazeera has obtained a video showing kidnapped humanitarian worker Margaret Hassan. According to the network, the video shows Hassan pleading for her life and then fainting. Her captors then threw a buck of water over her to revive her. Hassan then struggled to her feet while crying. The 59-year-old Hassan has been held hostage for two weeks. Al Jazeera decided not to air the video on humanitarian grounds.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/03/1520204&mode=thread&tid=25

Damn, damn, damn.

[CBHagman]

NY Times link.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/16/international/middleeast/16cnd-hass.html?hp&ex=1100667600&en=2fbd89de887e780e&ei=5094&partner=homepage

That's the account so far.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.

And may the many grieving be comforted.

[Chomp]

27. BBC reporting the poor soul was shot, not beheaded

Hopefully she was shot in a "humane" way and she didn't know too much about it.

Too awful for words.

[sr_pacifica]

136. Shot---

It may sound absurd, but their religion/culture holds sway on this. Women do not get beheaded.

[nostamj]

22. exactly!

one margaret hassain is worth 100,000,000,000 GWBs!

horrid but not the worst news we'll hear from that disaster.

[gauguin57]

20. Meanwhile, Condi is smiling her tight smile, and blinking back tears,

as Bush annoints her before the media. Such a happy couple, systematically ruining the world.

May Satan have mercy on their souls, cuz God sure won't!

[DrWeird]

24. Clearly she was killed in self defense.

Look, you have to be an insurgent in combat conditions to understand what it is those boys go through. I'm sick of all these insurgent haters complaining when they don't understand what it is they go through.

:eyes:

[crispini]

25. How horrible.

It all just gets worse and worse and worse.

[Massachusetts]

43. No George Bush there is no help for you now or ever!

"Will all great Neptune's oceans wash this blood clean from my hands"? - Macbeth

No George, even Neptune can't help you at this point.

[maddezmom]

26. AP: Video May Show CARE Director Being Killed

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Al-Jazeera television said Tuesday it received a videotape showing the slaying of a woman believed to be hostage Margaret Hassan. Hassan's family in London said they believed she was dead.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Our hearts are broken," it said. "We have kept hoping for as long as we could, but we now have to accept that Margaret has probably gone and at last her suffering has ended."


Hassan, 59, country director in Iraq (news - web sites) for the charity CARE International, was kidnapped by armed men who stopped her car as she was going to work in Baghdad on Oct. 19.


The station planned to broadcast parts of the video later Tuesday. Jihad Ballout, Al-Jazeera spokesman, said the station received the tape a few days ago but held off airing it until it was convinced the woman was Hassan.
more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20041116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_hostage

[PlanetBev]

30. I don't understand their reasons for killing her

She was married to an Iraqi, was against the war, spent 30 years helping the people of Iraq. It's not like she was a war profiteer or something. The world has gone mad.

[IndianaGreen]

34. Because they are TERRORISTS!

Why does Hamas blow up school buses in Israel? Perhaps because they are terrorists!

Why did Al-Qaeda fly those planes into the WTC? Could it be because they are terrorists.

Freedom fighters don't murder the innocent, and they don't go around killing their own people!

[Minstrel Boy]

38. We don't know who "THEY" are.

There are many clandestine factions in Iraq, as well as intelligence agencies playing their black ops tricks.

Tariq Ali says that an ugly occupation does not beget a beautiful resistance. But I do not see the motive for genuine resistance fighters to have targetted Hassan.

Everything is murky out there, and increasingly so here. Presuming to know who's responsible for this, their motives, and who should pay for it, just perpetuates the cycle of ignorance.

[ElectroPrincess]

40. Don't kid yourself ... Today's "Terrorist" exactly EQUATED

to yesterday's "Communist." Can't you see how the war mongers get the sheeple fired up that the EVIL other side are all less than human? It's B.S. They're our enemy - nothing more - nothing less. Now that we have no respect for the Geneva Conventions, especially in Guantanamo, *all's fair* ... and equally horrific. BTW are not the women and children killed with our smart bombs JUST AS DEAD?

[peach720]

80. Margaret Hassan was as horrified by this war

as many of us are. She worked to help the Iraqi women and children. Now the whole charity CARE has pulled out of Iraq, as a consequence of her abduction which was there to help the Iraqi people not support the war effort. It is a barbaric act.

[saracat]

149. Why does Bush pre-emptively invade a country with no WMD's?

Why does this administration send our young soldiers to death for nothing but oil and ego?


"Freedom fighters don't murder the innocent, and they don't go around killing their own people!"

Really? Then what are we?

[franmarz]

51. Margaret Hasson-what a shame

The more I read about the mindless blood-letting in that country, the more I cannot understand what type of sub-human attitudes prevail in the country that can, and do, kill babies, children etc. all in the name of their God.

[daleo]

56. Do you mean Iraq?

Or "the red states"?

[Minstrel Boy]

60. "The more I read about the mindless blood-letting in that country"

Should when extend, say, Scott Peterson's guilt across America as well?

[yellerpup]

28. Celebrate her beautiful spirit

Mourn her loss to the world.:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Straight Shooter]

31. bush inflames insurgents on one side; terrorists inflame them on the other

And those caught in the middle pay the price.

I am truly saddened by this news. Her face, her tearful pleas for her life, haunt me.

Now watch those Jayzuss lovers use her death to justify killing more Iraqis.

[rodeodance]

33. I feel for her family

[Bertha Venation]

35. Bush doesn't think he is responsible for hostage deaths

I detest this administration. Go to hell, George.

[oldtime dfl_er]

36. this makes my stomach turn

I may have to leave work. this is incredibly upsetting.

[PlanetBev]

39. I'm so fucking naive

I never thought they'd kill her.

I know that they kidnapped Alawi's relatives and one of them is a pregnant woman, nine months, I think. Now I know that they don't stand a chance.

All this does is deepen Bush's commitment to carry on his insane crusade. What are we going to be left with in four years?

[Pirate Smile]

52. Didn't they release some of Alawi's relatives?

[othermeans]

137. Alawi's relatives have been released. link below

http://www.cbsnews.com/track/search/stories/2004/11/16/iraq/main655912.shtml?CMP=ILC-

[bin.dare]

54. I grieve for Margaret Hassan and the 100,000 other Margaret Hassans

murdered over the last 18+ months. innocent dead souls, lost, that will never be replaced.
when is the fucking world going to realize that 100 times more innocent civilians die than combatants?
when will the fucking world stop glorifying combatants and focus on those that are truly sacrificing and suffering?
stop the fucking war.

[nodehopper]

69. I grieve for everyone dead or missing but MH was truly unique.

[Politicub]

37. How fucking sad

She had devoted her life to helping the Iraqis.

In addition to her blood being on the hands of the evil people who killed her, the US and Britain are also culpable.

[skypilot]

45. Not to change the subject but...

...it just occurred to me that I have no idea what became of those two French journalists who were kidnapped to protest the headscarf ban in French schools. Were they ever released?

[Bragi]

70. No, they are still captive

[TeddyKGB]

46. "Collateral damage."

Boy...sure is a lot of that going on, isn't there?

[Az_lefty]

47. This is so sad....I was hoping she would be released.

[Catherine Vincent]

49. That poor woman. I feel so bad for her and her family.

[daleo]

50. I wonder if this occurred before or after the marine shot the prisoner

The timing of the news is a bit suspicious, as it will no doubt be used as a justification for the prisoner shooting video, either explicitly or implicitly. We need to know more, including verification of the woman's identity and the identity of the killers. This occupation just gets uglier every day, on both sides.

[ElectroPrincess]

53. I didn't consider that ...

Tin foil hats will be an enlightened Americans permanent headgear if the CIA is purged of sane leaders. There will be no stopping the black op's ambitions.

[grumpy old fart]

58. Once you start down that slippery slope....

you lose all moral authority. This is the most horrendous legacy of this rethuglican regime, the refutation of all moral and legal restraints on our forging policy. We now have an Attorney General who views the Geneva Conventions as "quaint", and a Defense department that has no regard for human rights (Abeu Grahb, GITMO). How long until The chimp king declares the bill of rights null and void?

[daleo]

59. And the constant lies, right from the start

The war began with a lie, and has been characterized by lies all along. It is difficult to take things at face value anymore, which is a pity, as nobody wants to become suspicious of everything they hear and read.

[Bragi]

74. Why bother

"How long until The chimp king declares the bill of rights null and void?"

Why would he bother? It doesn't seem to be crimping his style much.

[muriel_volestrangler]

103. Before

"Arabic TV news channel Al Jazeera has said it has had a copy of the videotape for several days but has chosen not to broadcast it."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4017515.stm

[daleo]

132. It has become part of the propaganda war then

It does sound like someone held off until the marine shooting the prisoner video enhanced its counter propaganda value. Not that the propaganda aspect excuses the murder, whoever did it. It's just that every event becomes grist for the propaganda mill in war, especially an unpopular war like this. Eventually these retaliations and counter retaliations become the justification for being there at all - people begin to forget that the causus belli was a lie.

[ellie]

55. The first thing

I thought of is of course, they have to get rid of the people that can tell the truth as to what is going on there.

[nodehopper]

61. F*cking murderers. These are not insurgents but coldblooded killers.

May they roast in hell.

[Clarkie1]

126. They are animals

[MassLiberal]

64. oh no

I am so sorry to hear this. My heart goes out to her family and friends.

[geek tragedy]

68. Michael Moore's 'Minutemen' strike again.

Beasts.

[Zhade]

95. Can you provide evidence that Moore called terrorists 'minutemen'?

I had not heard that one before.

[dummy-du1]

98. Minutemen are terrorists

Long live King George!

[geek tragedy]

128. Here ya go:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-04-14

<snip>
The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not "insurgents" or "terrorists" or "The Enemy." They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win.
<snip>

I don't recall George Washington shooting aid workers in the head or Thomas Jefferson sawing off hostages heads with a knife.

[Zhade]

123. Hmmm. Moore never called groups like Tahid wal Jihad 'minutemen'.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?messageDate=2004-04-14

The Iraqis who have risen up against the occupation are not "insurgents" or "terrorists" or "The Enemy." They are the REVOLUTION, the Minutemen, and their numbers will grow -- and they will win. Get it, Mr. Bush? You closed down a friggin' weekly newspaper, you great giver of freedom and democracy! Then all hell broke loose. The paper only had 10,000 readers! Why are you smirking?

It appears Moore was referring to the Iraqi resistance made up of everyday Iraqis as 'minutemen' - a conclusion I agree with.

Looks like you got something different out of it than I did.

Perhaps you are classifying Sadrists as terrorists? I'm not sure I'd agree if you were, but I'm not certain to what "beasts" you are referring in regards to Moore's comment.

:shrug:

[geek tragedy]

129. Moore didn't make any distinction.

It was probably Iraqis who shot Margaret Hassan in the head. It was Iraqis who kidnapped her, I believe.

By Michael Moore's definition, any Iraqis in Tahid wal Jihad are "the Minutemen."

[othermeans]

139. No way. The Iraqis themselves draw a distinction between their

resistance and the terrorists. I can give you some links if you would like.

[geek tragedy]

157. I know the Iraqis do.

Sistani called Zarqawi a "filthy infidel."

Moore should note that.

[llmart]

71. "Let Freedom Reign!"

Oh, yeah. Iraq is just loving us now. We're going to "bring them democracy" whether they like it or not.

[peach720]

73. This is horrible

she was married to a Muslim, lived in Iraq, was against sanctions and this war too.And she was Irish born too. This is really cruel.
The British media are really upset by this, the anchor for Channel 4, offered condolences to the family when the news broke.

[Danmel]

79. Care webiste acknowldges and mourns her death

The Care USA website has been updating Mrs. Hsaan's status:

This went up about half an hour ago:

AMMAN, Jordan (November 16, 2004) - It is with profound sadness that we have learned of the existence of a video in which it appears that our colleague Margaret Hassan has been killed.

We are shocked and appalled that this has been the apparent outcome of her abduction. We want to express our deepest sympathy to Mrs. Hassan’s husband Tahseen, and to her family. Mrs. Hassan was an extraordinary woman who dedicated her life to the poor and disadvantaged in Iraq, particularly the children. The whole of CARE is in mourning.

Through her courage, tenacity and commitment, Mrs. Hassan assisted more than 17 million Iraqis living in the most difficult of circumstances. Everyone who met her was touched by her personality and compassion.

CARE staff and volunteers will continue working around the world fighting poverty, responding to humanitarian emergencies and helping to rebuild communities.

CARE sincerely thanks the Iraqi people for everything they did to try to secure the safe return of Margaret Hassan and for the many expressions of support.

Our priority now is to support Mrs. Hassan’s husband, Tahseen, and those most deeply affected by this tragedy.


www.care.org Click on thelink to Care USA

[Catchawave]

82. Such sad news....

but I wonder if the Iraqi people are as upset as we are? Or blaming BushCo as much as we are?

[geek tragedy]

83. They're probably more upset.

The woman was a saint, and is now a martyr. They know very well what CARE and Margaret Hassan did and wanted to do for the people of Iraq.

[Bridget Burke]

84. Sounds like you're more concerned about BushCo.

You don't think they should bear any guilt? And, of course, those Iraqis don't care as much as we.

Odd values.

[Catchawave]

119. Sorry my statement wasn't clear....

I meant to imply that we never hear how the Iraqi people feel, unless it's filtered through the state dept.

[peach720]

89. Yes they will be upset....

Her husband is an Iraqi and they Iraqi people wanted her release.
Not only that but they have lost valuable aid from CARE as they have pulled out their workers.

[deutsey]

86. RIP, Ms. Hassan

[ramapo]

88. Things continue to go well

in free Iraq

[MetalFingersDOOM]

90. Bush let these guys into Iraq

I highly doubt the guys that did this were Iraqis. Bushco and the media knows this but they'd prefer attempting to mislead Americans into thinking they are.

[Name removed]

102. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bloodyjack]

105. Go shit in your hat.

[Forkboy]

106. LOL...you'll have to try harder than that

So tell us,whose sockpuppet are you?

[nodehopper]

111. enjoy your stay here...freeper provcateur

[Name removed]

114. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bloodyjack]

120. Seriously, get lost.

don't you have anything better to do than 'infiltrate' online forums?

take note: the vast majority of DU'ers abhor violence (yes, even against INNOCUOUS AID WORKERS)

[progressivebydesign]

116. I really hate assholes that pretend to be DUers...

Just to make us look bad.

Sorry.. you'll find NO kindred souls here, if you're trying to bash Margaret Hassan. Please.. go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under.. Please. You're a sick person.

[ilovenicepeople]

117. SHUT UP (cut the mike!)

:mad: or WAKE UP

[KitSileya]

107. Damn it, another life lost to this meaningless conflict.

It's really, really, disconsoling to see the numbers of the dead on both sides of the conflict just going up and up and up. Even more depressing is knowing that this is probably just the start.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, as they do to all those who've lost someone in this mess.

[progressivebydesign]

118. RIP Margaret Hassan.

I was really hoping that this would turn out differently for her. She was not an enemy of the Iraqi people.. many Iraqis spoke in her defense, because they KNEW she was a good person, someone not pushing the American agenda in Iraq.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

121. This is truly a sad day for many.

The Iraqi people love her, as did many others. I recall having read that it was thought she was being held by a rouge band of people in hopes of selling her to the insurgents. The Iraqi's were as appalled as the rest of the world by her kidnapping.

For a woman who helped so many to be murdered like that is an atrocity. That she was, perhaps, kidnapped for profit is unforgivable.

[Clarkie1]

124. How do we deal with the animals that did this?

[ElectroPrincess]

127. More to the point ... Why does war seem to bring out the worst

in humanity? ... Atrocities have happened on BOTH sides.

[AnnaBergeson]

140. As Borat would say, we have to CRUSH them

[Media_Lies_Daily]

130. The big question IMHO, is which set of Iraqis killed her?....

Was it the insurgents, or was it a group belonging to Negroponte?

[daleo]

133. My money is on the latter

The overall brutality has picked up considerably, since he got on the scene. Rather like Central America in the 80's.

[IndianaGreen]

131. Obituary: Margaret Hassan (The Guardian)

Obituary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Margaret Hassan

Relief worker who dedicated her life to helping the Iraqi people

Jason Burke
Wednesday November 17, 2004
The Guardian

Margaret Hassan, who has been reported killed at the age of 59, was Care International's director in Iraq. She had been held hostage after being abducted at gunpoint in Baghdad on her way to work four weeks ago.

Hassan was born Margaret Fitzsimmons in Ireland, where her early childhood was spent in a Dublin suburb. Later, her family moved to London, where she completed her education.

In 1961, when she was 17, she met and married Iraqi-born Tahseen Ali Hassan, who was 26 years old and studying engineering in the UK. In 1972, she moved with her new husband to Iraq, where she began working for the British Council, teaching English to Iraqis. Falling in love with the country, she learnt Arabic, converted to Islam and became an Iraqi citizen.

In 1979 Saddam Hussein consolidated his grip on power in the country and, two years later, led his nation into war with Iran. The conflict cost huge numbers of lives and inflicted massive deprivation on the populations of both countries. However, Hassan never contemplated leaving, becoming first the assistant director of studies at the British Council in Baghdad and then its director. Her husband worked as an economist.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1352957,00.html

[Name removed]

142. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[argyl]

146. If Al-Jazeera hasn't broadcast this tape how have you become privy to its

contents? You have a vivid imagination.

[Scurrilous]

147. I believe that this particular poster...

...is a liar.

[AnnaBergeson]

148. The tapes don't originate with Al-Jazeera!!!

WTF? It is on two Jihadi sites right now.

[uhhuh]

150. post a link

Or stop talking about it.

[AnnaBergeson]

151. I will not link it. You will overrun their servers and I will lose

the chance to see more of this Jihadi website.

[IndianaGreen]

152. How about the allegation you made about Al Sharpton exposing himself

that you made in another thread. Do you have a link for that, or were you an eyewitness? If so provide additional details before we all get suspicious about your spamming the board with the same message.

[thebigidea]

153. touching that you'd be concerned with terrorist bandwidth.

Make sure you click on their ads and use the amazon links, as the imaginary Jihad-types could use the nickel.

[saigon68]

154. Adios

Sorry your visit was cut short

[BobJonesHater]

155. It's Pretty Much True

That description was pretty sick, and that person seemed to take some pleasure in it, but I have seen this video too, and it is in fact a pretty accurate description. I assume she was talking about the two ansar-al-jaysh addresses that have it, but I have one coming out of a server in Kuwait.. The Islamic media is doing everything it can to keep this one out of our hands. I actually kind of hope they succeed.

[Barkley]

161. Remarkable Woman!

I heard an information about her on Amy Goodman's Democracy Now show Weds.

She born British but was an Iraqi citizen by marriage.

She had dedicated 30 years of her life to helping the poor in Iraq.
Which means she lived under Saddam's regime for many years.

Her murder proves that Iraq is NOT better off now and Westerners and Iraqis are not now more secure in Iraq.

Oh guess its time for elections...

[leesa]

164. Now who do you suppose will use this for propaganda? I would suspect

they are the executioners. Watch the US media play it up as a justification for their slaughter. Who benefits?