2 Canadians kidnapped in Iraq

Grimmlok · November 27th, 2005, 11:28 AM

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2 Canadians kidnapped in Iraq
Nov. 27, 2005. 12:18 PM
HILDA HOY
TORONTO STAR

Four humanitarian workers, including two Canadians, were kidnapped in Iraq yesterday, MP Dan McTeague says.
The parliamentary secretary for Canadians abroad received the news early this morning and said information about the missing Canadians is not being disclosed for fear of jeopardizing their safety.

The two were working with an unnamed aid organization in the war-torn country, where kidnappings are frequent. The organization has been in touch with the families of the two Canadians, he said.

Canadian Press reported McTeague as saying that the group has not requested any assistance from the federal government.

“Our officials...in Amman and in Ottawa are in contact with the organization and are standing by to provide any or all possible assistance," McTeague said. "But we have to recognize that there are limitations as there is no Canadian Embassy in Iraq and our ability to provide assistance is limited."

piperdiva · November 27th, 2005, 07:24 PM

Well, i think it's obvious by now that Iraq doesn't want any foreign help. We should all just get out.

Grimmlok · November 27th, 2005, 07:28 PM

At the same time, even as a Canadian, I can't get all up in arms over it. These people knew the risks involved.

Sojiita · November 27th, 2005, 09:13 PM

Maybe Canada's not being involved in the war will help these two. It is something to hope for at least.

Grimmlok · November 27th, 2005, 09:27 PM

Yeah, but who do you think is holding Afghanistan together.. who do you think whacked more Taleban with snipers.. who do you think's special forces has been knocking off Taleban cell after cell in near total secrecy?

Sojiita · November 27th, 2005, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

Yeah, but who do you think is holding Afghanistan together.. who do you think whacked more Taleban with snipers.. who do you think's special forces has been knocking off Taleban cell after cell in near total secrecy?

SSSHHHHHHH!!!!! It won't be anything near total secrecy if you keep this up!! and it is not like they( the two Canadians) were there to profit or anything...maybe they will get lucky.

pacific breeze · November 28th, 2005, 12:12 AM

Well, an Irish aid worker who'd been in Iraq for more than 20 years, who was known throught the country, who was married to an Iraqi and spoke the language fluently was murdered. They cut off her head.

I pretty much think there are no rules.

Sojiita · November 28th, 2005, 12:41 AM

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Originally Posted by pacific breeze

Well, an Irish aid worker who'd been in Iraq for more than 20 years, who was known throught the country, who was married to an Iraqi and spoke the language fluently was murdered. They cut off her head.

I pretty much think there are no rules.

I was actually trying to not think about her. What was her name? margaret hassan of something like that? THAT was horrific and depressing...maybe at some point they will realize that no matter who they kidnap and kill it will not really have much of an effect?

deckchick · November 28th, 2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piperdiva

Well, i think it's obvious by now that Iraq doesn't want any foreign help. We should all just get out.

The warring factions may not want any help, but lets keep in mind there are thousands and thousands of Iraqis who are just like us. All they want is to look after their families. These are the people the aids groups are helping, not the insurgents.

It's just sad that the rules of war have changed so much. It used to be aid workers and newspapermen were relatively safe.

pacific breeze · December 3rd, 2005, 12:06 AM

^^???????

I don't get the joke. I guess it's something only you find funny, Mushy.

Grimmlok · December 3rd, 2005, 05:56 PM

I think the joke is that it DOES have an effect. People are remarkably squeamish when it comes to their fellow countrymen dying unless they're in some kind of uniform. Suddenly, that's a barbaric and awful.

The clothes make the killer.

Sojiita · December 3rd, 2005, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mushy

The reason this was so horrific is that unlike many who were kidnapped/killed she was not a soldier or someone there to take advantage of an econoimic opportunity. She had lived there for some 20 years and devoted her life to trying to help the Iraqi people. She had shown through her years of efforts that she was a true friend and champion of the Iraqi people. Of course this made no difference-she was murdered anyway. To find any humor in this whatsoever is sick and disgusting. Period.

ourmaninBusan · December 3rd, 2005, 08:25 PM

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These are the people the aids groups are helping,
not the insurgents.

How do we know that? I just saw Black Hawk Down last night,
about the 1993 invasion of Somalia, and and none of the
fighters in Mogadishu were in uniform; they were all dressed
in the tattered second-hand clothes of the poor.
At first glance, you wouldn't know their civilians from
their insurgents.

And, BTW, I think that reflected reality -- I remember a lot of
the footage from that invasion and I don't recall seeing
a uniformed militia in Somalia.

Mogadishu, Baghdad...it's the Viet Cong all over again.

deckchick · December 3rd, 2005, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourmaninBusan

How do we know that? I just saw Black Hawk Down last night,
about the 1993 invasion of Somalia, and and none of the
fighters in Mogadishu were in uniform; they were all dressed
in the tattered second-hand clothes of the poor.
At first glance, you wouldn't know their civilians from
their insurgents.

And, BTW, I think that reflected reality -- I remember a lot of
the footage from that invasion and I don't recall seeing
a uniformed militia in Somalia.

Mogadishu, Baghdad...it's the Viet Cong all over again.

So you really think all the Somalians and all the Iraqis are fighters?

You are right, Blackhawk Down probably is a reasonable example.

But I guess you forgot the opening scenes in Blackhawk Down that showed the "refugee" camp. The warlord's men where shooting the people trying to get grain off the truck.

My quote

Quote:

These are the people the aids groups are helping, not the insurgents.

I found if very easy to distinguish between the fighters and the people just trying to survive. The fighters has the guns and were firing at the Americans, the regular people were the ones hiding in their houses with their kids, running away from the gunfire etc.

If you are going to use a movie as an example, use the whole movie please, not just the parts that suit your argument.

Do you honestly believe that every person in Iraq is an insurgent?

Sojiita · December 4th, 2005, 09:33 PM

Well despite my comment I did not give you any negative point. I have given only positives. I still just don't get the joke part though. I guess it is just going over my head??? I can't figure it out and I am feeling kind of like a moron now!