Iraqi TV satirist killed in Baghdad

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L20597665.htm

Iraqi TV satirist killed in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Nov 20 (Reuters) - One of Iraq's best known satirists and broadcasters was gunned down on his way to work on Monday, his colleagues and the police said.

Waleed Hassan's "Caricature" sketch show was an unmissable part of weekend Fridays for Iraqis seeking a release in laughter from the blood and chaos around them. Hassan poked fun at sectarian violence, bickering politicians, power blackouts and all aspects of the turmoil that is daily life in Iraq.

He was found in west Baghdad with three bullet wounds to the head, said the Sharkiya channel. Hassan was a director of the station and also produced a political interview show for it.

As with other media, several journalists and employees of Sharkiya have been killed. Owned by a London-based Iraqi businessman it takes an independent editorial line, though many viewers see it as leaning toward minority Sunni Arab viewpoints.

[katinmn]

1. How much more can the Iraqi people stand?

This man was apparently one bright spot amid a horrible ongoing disaster.

:cry:

[Kagemusha]

2. A true act of terrorism aimed at ordinary people.

Truly a despicable act.

[Ian David]

3. The UnaFreeper is such an under-acheiver. n/t

[jollyreaper2112]

4. Wow

I'm trying to imagine Olbermann, Colbert, or Stewart gunned down. It's shit like this that would make a person say to hell with peace, I'm taking as many of the other bastards with me as I can. But do they even know who killed him? Sounds like he could have been a likely target for any side in this war.

[Ian David]

5. It's stuff like this that should wake-up both sides to how bad things really are

We imagine the horror of Keith Olbermann or David Letterman being gunned-down like that.

The Republickers imagine their horror of Bill O'Reilly being gunned-down like that.

But what is sometimes forgotten is that there is a "September 11th" just about every single month in Iraq, and that every family in Iraq has lost someone during this war and occupation.

[Straight Shooter]

8. "... many viewers see it as leaning toward minority Sunni Arab viewpoints."

That doesn't really tell us much, though. For example, in America, CNN has as many detractors on the radical/reactionary side as it does on the liberal/progressive side.

This murder was probably designed to emotionally devastate the people of Iraq, rather than as a retribution. Or maybe the goal was both.

How very sad.

Thanks, bush, your gift of death just keeps on a'giving. :sarcasm:

[maddezmom]

6. Assassins kill 2 in Iraq; 20 die overall

By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer
14 minutes ago



BAGHDAD, Iraq - Assassins killed a popular Baghdad television comedian and a professor at a university south of the capital on Monday, but failed in attempts to kill two government officials as the country's leader met with Syria's foreign minister about improving security and reopening diplomatic relations.

In all, 20 Iraqis were killed in a series of attacks in Baghdad, Ramadi and Baqouba, and the bodies of 25 Iraqis who had been kidnapped and tortured were found on the streets of the capital and in Dujail, north of Baghdad, police said.

The attacks raised Iraq's death toll to at least 1,368 already in November, well above the 1,216 who died in all of October, which was the deadliest month in Iraq since The Associated Press began tracking the figure in April 2005.

The actual totals are likely considerably higher because many deaths are not reported. Victims in those cases are quickly buried according to Muslim custom and never reach morgues or hospitals to be counted.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061120/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[FormerOstrich]

7. I thought I read where

they were doing this show out of Qatar. Or, is this a different one? Does anybody else remember reading that?

[grytpype]

9. TV satirist killed in Baghdad

TV satirist killed in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Nov 20: One of Iraq's best known satirists and broadcasters was gunned down on Monday while on his way to work. Waleed Hassan's `Caricature’ sketch show was an unmissable part of weekend Fridays for Iraqis seeking a release in laughter from the blood and chaos around them.

Hassan poked fun at sectarian violence, bickering politicians, power blackouts and all aspects of the turmoil that is daily life in Iraq.

He was found in west Baghdad with three bullet wounds to the head, said the Sharkiya channel. Hassan was a director of the station and also produced a political interview show for it.

...

Hassan's sister Nadia Hassan Ja'az said his death was incomprehensible. “Why did they want to kill him? He didn't hurt anyone,” she told Sharkiya.

“He has nothing to do with Sunni or Shia, he doesn't recognise these things. He's just an actor defending Iraq, its people and his family,” she said through tears.—Reuters

http://www.dawn.com/2006/11/21/int7.htm

:cry:

(Edited to remove reference to NYT article about Saad Khalifa, another TV satirist, not the one who was found dead. My mistake.)

[mike_c]

10. another of dimson's commas....

RIP Waleed Hassan.

[spillthebeans]

11. Don't make fun of the Gov .

[DesertRat]

12. That's so sad. n/t