The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Dear Nels I'll reply to the discussion group once on this issue. If you wish to continue it, I'll send my replies to you only, because I do not think it is particularly relevant to CASI's work. Regarding the websites: http://www.iraqi-mission.org/ http://iraq.org/main.html It is pretty much an uncontested fact that the Iraqi government, under Saddam Hussein, killed thousands of Kurds during 1987/8 (e.g. the chemical attack on Halabja in March, 1988 -- documented by Amnesty International). I consider governments who participate in mass murder "despicable". In addition, I consider organisations who distribute propaganda on behalf of such governments "despicable". Incidentally, I think the US\UK\West German\Soviet govts. (and others) were "despicable for supplying Iraq with the weapons they needed to carry out these attacks against the Iraqi Kurds. Similar arguments apply to the Iraq-Iran war. There's no doubt that www.iraqi-mission.org is a mouthpiece of the Iraqi govt. It's their official UN site. They also have an inspiring photograph of Saddam Hussein at the top of their home page. Regarding the Iraq.Org site, perhaps "despicable" was a bit strong. "Disagreeable" might be fairer. It definitely seems to be a supporter of the Iraqi govt. (e.g. the one-sided article about Iran's role in POW negotiations). In general, I would agree that it's not wise to use emotive words like "despicable" in serious discourse, but I suspect that is not the point you are making. Regards, Nathan Geffen --- nelsbacon <nelsbacon@earthlink.net> wrote: > Dear Nathan Geffen, > > I am concerned (disturbed) by your statement in the > following email on > CASI that reads, "the last two on the list which are > despicable." > Please advise what specifically you find > "despicable" on the two web > sites you referred to in your statement. I assume > that the lack of > reaction to your statement from anyone on the list > implies concurrence > with your opinion. > > Sincerely, > Nels Bacon > nelsbacon@earthlink.net > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Nathan Geffen wrote: > > > > Hello Diaa > > > > Here are some URLs that might interest you. I do > not necessarily > > endorse or condemn any of them, except for the > last two on the list > > which are despicable. Possibly, some of them are > excellent > > organisations. > > > > http://www.adc.org/ (American Arab Anti Disc. > Comm.) > > http://www.aaan.org/ (Arab American Action > Network) > > http://leb.net/IAC/ (Iraq Action Coalition) > > http://www.aaug.org/feedback.htm (American Arab > Uni. Grads) > > http://arab-american.com/ > > http://www.awo.net/ (Arab World Online) > > http://www.arabchamber.com/ (Arab Chamber) > > http://www.iraqi-mission.org/ (seems to be run by > the Iraqi govt.) > > http://iraq.org/main.html (seems to be run by the > Iraqi govt.) > > > > Here is my two cents worth: > > > > It is a characteristic, perhaps positive, of the > internet that it does > > not easily disclose the ethnicity of its > participants. CASI is no > > exception. > > Judging, perhaps poorly, by the names of some of > the contributors to > > CASI's discussion group, there are at least a few > who are of Arab > > descent. > > > > As for 'humanist imperialism' whatever that means: > > Most of the subscribers to the CASI discussion > group are probably > > citizens of the US and the UK. Their governments > are enforcing > > sanctions, let alone conducting an illegal war, > against Iraq. Just as > > British citizens protested against World War One > and US citizens > > protested against the Vietnam War, they are now > protesting US/UK > > behaviour toward Iraq. They have a direct and > critical interest, > > whether they are Arab, Anglo, Kurdish or whatever. > Much of the same > > applies to citizens of other UN countries. > > > > Regards, > > Nathan Geffen > > > > --- Diaa el Radwa Hadid > <s3066141@student.anu.edu.au> wrote: > > > May I just open the floor to discussion about > > > something which I've been > > > thinking about for a while? > > > > > > I've noticed that alot of efforts in the UK, the > US, > > > and even in Australia, > > > don't have much 'Arab input'- from the Middle > East > > > (rather than emigres and > > > those of Arab origion in the 'West'). > > > > > > Perhaps I am thinking on feminist lines here- > > > > > > Whilst it is wonderful to see the crisis in Iraq > > > treated in a humanitarian, > > > rather than an ethnic context, I think that Arab > > > involvement may be > > > necessary in order to remove the stigma that > efforts > > > are somehow tainted > > > with 'humanist imperialism' because Arabs in the > > > Middle East are only > > > involved as victims. > > > > > > In that regard, I have two questions: > > > > > > Are there any credible Middle-Eastern based > groups > > > opposing the sanctions, > > > and if so, would it be appropriate to forge > links > > > with them? > > > > > > Regarding in the views I have given above, they > may > > > be completely > > > mis-informed, and I hope others on this list > will > > > constructively criticse > > > and educate myself and others. > > > > > > Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, > > > > > > Diaa > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign > > > Against Sanctions on Iraq. > > > To be removed/added, email > > > soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT > > > the whole list. Please do not sent emails with > > > attached files to the list > > > *** Archived at > > > > http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html > > > *** > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com > > -- > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign > Against Sanctions on Iraq. > > To be removed/added, email > soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT > > the whole list. Please do not sent emails with > attached files to the list > > *** Archived at > http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html > *** > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This is a discussion list run by the Campaign > Against Sanctions on Iraq. > To be removed/added, email > soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT > the whole list. Please do not sent emails with > attached files to the list > *** Archived at > http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html > *** > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To be removed/added, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk, NOT the whole list. Please do not sent emails with attached files to the list *** Archived at http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/discuss.html ***