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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"Images of death and destruction don't stop me supporting this conflict." How on earth did someone with the density of Johann Hari ever qualify for a "Young Journalist of the Year" honor? He muses that "If we had taken the route preferred by the anti-war camp, people would have carried on dying at Saddam's hands for weeks, months, years - and then died under his deranged son, Uday, and so on and on, corpse upon corpse." This is either sheer idiocy, or mere parroting of the long defunct party line from Washington and London. Has it completely escaped Mr. Hari that millions of Iraqi deaths were not caused by Saddam Hussein but by the diabolical sanctions imposed by the United States and the United Kingdom via a browbeaten United Nations. Give us a break, Mr. Hari. Isn't the world aready full with "journalists" who have betrayed the ideal of the profession, objectivity and impartial reporting. I can hardly imagine that there is much need for more of this, young or notl. Mr. Hari nonchalantly mentions the Ba'ath regime of Iraq as obviating overthrow. It that were indeed the case then it would certainly be a matter for the people of Iraq to take up, just as they had succeeded in overthrowing the previous regime (with a little help and intrigue from the US/UK, of course.) What are Mr. Hari's credentials for pontificating on the legitimacy or lack thereof of any government except, perhaps, his own? Is he next going to provide us with a list of governments that, in his opinion, also must be overthrown? Should he plan to provide us with such a list, we will see whether it includes the numerous repressive regimes that are currently enjoying the favor of the hegemon because, unlike Saddam, they acquiesce to the economic rape, plunder and pillage of their own people by the "sole superpower" and its nasty little sidekick. Where does meagerly informed Mr. Hari come off acting as if "taking out Saddam" is a self-evident necessity? Perhaps he should take a sabbatical from journalism and inform himself of who represents a bona fide danger to world peace and stability. Hint: it is not Saddam Hussein. Let Mr. Hari peruse the literature around Project for a New American Century, the script which has thus far been followed by the Bush administration. At what point of the agenda will Mr. Hari request that his brain be returned to him that he must have handed over in a glass jar? Or would he be with it all the way? I recommend that whatever panel decided to bestow journalistic honors upon Mr. Hari take another look. Perhaps there is a provision for rescinding the award when the recipient proves himself unworthy of it. This, in my opinion, is clearly the case. _______________________________________________ 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