oldschool CxC

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

An amazing, compelling story of a newsday journalist's eight days in a Baghdad prison. [Ian: So the article started off compelling and I can understand it from a "holy shit that was close" sort of perspective but considering this guys tone I expected, you know, some torture. Regarding Abu Zeinab, the man most responsible for him in prison;

"I have some questions for him. There is a promise I made to myself that first day in prison and I never want to break that promise. "No matter what they do to me, I will never bear these men any ill will,” I told myself. But when I write about Abu Zeinab now, I have to fight hard to keep that oath. All I want from them are answers, I tell myself. I must not wish to beat their faces with my fists into unrecognizable messes, or wish them anything but calm happiness for the rest of their lives."

So really quick these foreign nationals (journalist) were detained for seven days and questioned for some, though not all of those days in an Iraqi prison during the war. They was no physical abuse (the author requested and received blankets and cigarettes), no coercion and really no torture other than his on mentally induced torture over the possibilities that the day might come when he would be tortured. Sounds like he was given better treatment and more deference than most Iraqi Prisoners (given that that really ain't saying much) and the Iraqi authorities made a point to log and track every item of personal gear he had on his person to protect it from theft, (including two illegal satellite phones with, additionally illegal, GPSs). Then they he and his fellow journalist, none of whom was injured or according to him threatened with injury, were escorted to the border. Basically big fucking woop, what is this guys deal? Jail sucks, being scared sucks, but these Iraqi didn't harm you. When you stay in a country illegally with illegal equipment during warm time, you sort of have to suck it up when you get busted.]
[E: true dat. I thought it was a good story, but in the movie version there should be some testicle electrocution, or force-feeding of oil ala Three Kings.]

Shee-it, me & Rick had it tougher when we did hard time. Only one Sherm, a crazy PCP withdrawal guy, the guy in on warrant for fishing w/out a license and I had to play chess.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home