The following is an archived copy of a message sent to the CASI Analysis List run by Cambridge Solidarity with Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of Cambridge Solidarity with Iraq (CASI).
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[ This message has been sent to you via the CASI-analysis mailing list ] In regard to the question as to my whereabouts, at present I am being detained by the British Army in Basra and have been for the last few days. Today I have been given limited internet use. I have been informed that I will be held for 2 weeks and then deported to Kuwait for "my own safety". As regards to Baghdad, not being a journalist or a "humanitarian" I am sadly limited to reporting my experiences and dont feel free to invent things. All i can say in the 4 days I spent in Baghdad I heard no gunfire or explosions, I am sorry if this is not to people's expectations. Invents in recent days which I have been limited to following on TV confirm my opinion that this is an orchestrated "war" designed solely to justify continued occupation. On BBC it is now commonplace to show crowds of unarmed Iraqis exercising their right to protest, with voice-overs describing these as violent resistence and claims of 7 American deaths in firefights. Whether the claims of soldier casualties is correct or not none of the pictures that TV are showing would indicate this is occuring, rather they are airing pictures of unarmed demonstrators. A common technique is for TV crews to take footage of burning rubbish in the streets as evidence of "uprisings". At present no rubbish is being collected from the streets, it is simply piled into heaps and then set on fire (appalling in terms of public health). I have passed a dozen burning rubbish piles not one of which had any connection with protests. I attended one protest march by Al-Sadr in Baghdad 5 days ago. It was extremely well organised and peaceful. There were dozens of marshalls that searched people before they joined the march, the streets were sealed with trucks and all demonstrators were unarmed. I am sorry if this does not meet people's desire or expectations. I repeat that not being a journalist I am limited to reporting what I see. I take the fact that I have been detained by the British and will be deported as at least partial confirmation that much of what I have been saying over the last 6 months has irritated someone somewhere. Tom Young Guest of Her Majesty in the newly democratic Iraq ____________________________________________________________ Find what you are looking for with the Lycos Yellow Pages http://r.lycos.com/r/yp_emailfooter/http://yellowpages.lycos.com/default.asp?SRC=lycos10 _______________________________________ Sent via the CASI-analysis mailing list To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-analysis All postings are archived on CASI's website at http://www.casi.org.uk