The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Hi - It hasn't been my intention to make out that Sweeney had all the right answers, and provided them. First-hand knowledge IS very important. It is also possible, I believe, to make up for lack of personal first-hand know-how, yet to become quite 'expert' at something (certainly not me!). One can write a scholarly book, e.g. on the Roman Empire, or on the Spanish Civil War without having visited those locations, in time nor space. Many anti-sanction, ant-war campaigners have never set foot in Iraq (you have, of course, felicity!), but that doesn't invalidate their views. I have some strong views on the Middle East, e.g. Palestine/Israel, despite never having travelled there. I would strongly disagree with some people, who travel there regularly, or even live there, and consider their views to be distorted. However, I do take on board your comparisons with Cork. Greetings, Bert G. >From: "farbuthnot" <asceptic@freenetname.co.uk> >To: Bert Gedin <gedinbert@hotmail.com>, casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk, >hasseini@maktoob.com >CC: K.A.Mahdi@exeter.ac.uk >Subject: Re: [casi] The Sweeney. >Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2002 21:24:32 +0100 > >Friends: Trouble is, Sweeney did not resort to 'logic and reason' - just >took selective material to prove his point. There was no objectivity here. >Bert, to be fair, as you say yourself, first hand knowledge is important - >but as you also say, you have not visited Iraq. To reiterate - to report on >Iraq (central?south) from Kurdistan is like reporting on Cork city's >historic sensitivities over the years, from the Loyalist area of Belfast.To >report accurately one would have to pop down to Cork and get that >perspective too .... >Best, f. > >---------- > >From: "Bert Gedin" <gedinbert@hotmail.com> > >To: casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk, hasseini@maktoob.com > >Cc: K.A.Mahdi@exeter.ac.uk > >Subject: [casi] The Sweeney. > >Date: Sat, Jul 20, 2002, 7:48 pm > > > > > > > Dear Hassan & List, > > > > Although your e-mail to Kamil may be well-meaning & sincere, I don't >think > > anyone is justified in dismissing Sweeney as being cerebrally > > challenged. However flawed some of his basic views, he is a shrewd >reporter. > > Logic & reasoning, backed up by factual information, is a > > more effective way of argumentation, rather than, emotively, >'rubbishing' > > your opponent. I don't know if you saw the ca 11 pages of the remarkable > > exchange between Zaid & Sweeney. One point I think you will agree on: >you > > haven't had access to Sweeney's film, so you do lack first-hand >knowledge. > > Saying that, you may have come accross > > other sources of relevant information. > > > > You go on to say the "average person in the West is brainwashed by the > > media". Are you implying that people, in the East, never are brainwashed > > , by governments, media etc.? You can try to convince me, but with >effort, > > as, presently, I believe that to be an utter illusion, a fairy-tale. >Whilst > > the Guardian article - which I hadn't seen - seems useful, > > other sources may have other points of view, which, following some >serious > > questioning, leads to healthy debate (at best!). What (apart from life > > itself!) stimulates thinking & knowledge, of world affairs, in > > Iraq? > > > > Please do not think I am totally unaware of the misery & suffering, >despite > > never having visited your country, of ordinary Iraqis. That is > > my main reason for opposing sanctions, and warfare, against Iraq. > > > > Greetings, > > Bert Gedin (Birmingham, U.K.). > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. > > To unsubscribe, visit >http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > > To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk > > _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk