How 200 soldiers saved 3 pacifists - Toronto Star

[applegrove]

How 200 soldiers saved 3 pacifists
`Task Force Black' didn't use its guns
But it took elite team to free hostages
Mar. 25, 2006. 01:00 AM
MICHELLE SHEPHARD
STAFF REPORTER


"Of all the covert operations in Iraq, Task Force Black is among the most secretive.

The British-led group of more than 200 military and intelligence officers, tracks hostages and Iraqi war criminals and employs all the tricks used in domestic investigations.

Using telephone intercepts, satellite photographs and undercover work, and trying to court sources inside Iraq's insurgency, the group is credited with saving the lives of many foreigners.

When four peace activists, including Toronto's Jim Loney and former Montreal resident Harmeet Singh Sooden, were kidnapped Nov. 26 in western Baghdad, the Canadians joined the team.


..... Snip"

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1143240611249&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News&pubid=968163964505

[Amonester]

1. I want to thank ex-PM Chretien for standing up to the

war criminals of the * cabal, in spite of their constant bullying and incredibly idotic threats and unbelievable LIES back in 2003.

Perhaps his respect to the letter of International Law helped save the lives of these peaceful Canadian citizens.

Now, to all my fellow Canadian citizens: please stay out of Iraq until the day the criminal cabal of Liar$ for greed will have lost all their illegitimate powers. It is a difficult choice but, PLEASE: don't give these ultimate crooks, liars, torturers, and mass-murderers of tens of thousands of innocent human beings (including young children) any reason to celebrate their criminal, stupid arrogance.

Thank you.

[applegrove]

2. The only way to ensure the lives of civilians at this point is to stay

until some semblance of governance exists. Maybe they can be redeployed in 6 months. I don't know. A tragedy that private corporations were entrusted with what a professional army could only teach. Neocons actions are tragic on so many levels.

But I would not wish more instability on any civilian at any time. I hope that US negotiating with Iran works to calm the situation down.

I hope that Canadians in Afghanistan somehow manage to finish the job there. At least keep the lid on it.

And yes - Chretien got some great advice from experts on intelligence who said "the intelligence on this Iraq war doesn't follow previously known patterns... watch out - warning - red flag - doesn't compute". Canada was the antithesis of neocons in that .. professionalism in governance. Governing according to a sober assessment of the facts rather than on dreamlike delusions of power where when the dust settles - all of the dust falls into the exact pattern neos dream of.

[Briar]

3. What is it about pacifism that

frightens "regular" men so much? This whole piece stinks of a sort of self righteous rush for the moral high ground by people who can see their bluff has been called. See, this piece and others like it imply, those naive, stupid pacifists got themselves into trouble and it took real men, with lots of guns, to get them out. But who created the trouble but the men of violence, or at least their posturing, two-faced governments, and if anything is going to solve it, it won't be more violence.

This disgusts me, not least because just the same people are wont to sneer at anyone who sympathises with "enemy" civilians caught in the conflict and challenge him or her to go and join them if they care so much. What Christian Peacemaker Teams do shames the so-called Christians who support the war and even fight in it, as it shames the western governments who have sunk Iraq into a man-made hell.

It is pretty obvious why governments and those who support their illegal wars hate the peacemakers. Nations are built on war, glued together by the dried blood spilled when "we" are unified against "them", and fight together regardless of right and wrong. The existance of people who refuse to think in such terms and extend their empathy to the civilians of the "enemy" side threaten that mindless unity and call into question patriotic pieties.

[Spoonerian]

4. Excellent comments Briar.

Listening to dems and "liberals" try to scare me into supporting soldiers and cops is much more sickening than hearing it from the right. But I still lurk here hoping to find some opposition as you've provided above.

This comment from applegrove:

"The only way to ensure the lives of civilians at this point is to stay until some semblance of governance exists."

is a good example of the kind of impudent statist arrogance that is painful to wade through before finding something hopeful like your comments.

[applegrove]

5. Well - I don't want to hit you over the head with a wet towelett- but

moral outrage at my point of view would be a little more acceptable if you have been around here for a bit. Not that you are not feeling outraged. Or have a right to feel however you feel. I just don't know what to make of you. Cause I don't know ya.

I didn't imply that the troops should not leave within a year. Redeploy them as fast as you can. Just that some sort of door should be opened that is about to be opened that has not opened.

I am not American. And yes I should remind myself of that and that for that reason I don't take the war as personal as some do. Then again - sometimes I take the violence against civilians alot more personal than some. I am to the right and left of ya.

Ebb and flow. It isn't as if If the US leaves tomorrow the women are lookin at the danger of being forced to wear the same mao suit like in Vietnam. There is a little more at stake for women if a new totalitarian regime happens in Iraq. Oh - and a world war is also something I'd like to avoid. The whole distabilization is the fault of the neocons.

Welcome to the DU :hi:

[applegrove]

6. I saw the title and thought it was wonderful. I am Canadian. And the

division in our country are not as stark as in yours. Though some are working very hard on that.

I celebrate grey!