Australian journalist who was kidnapped in Iraq - article

[McKenzie]

the article is quite lengthy and the first 2/3rds deal with his experiences in East Timor. The journalist is John Martinkus btw.

<snip>

The really big crunch was in April when the marines tried to go into Falluja because was such a disregard for civilian casualties by the American military; a lot of previously moderate Iraqis were quite disgusted.

Bear in mind the Abu Ghraib revelations came out shortly after that and this confirmed what a lot of Iraqis had been talking about. Rumors about this kind of treatment were circulating wildly when I was there and all compounded . People who had previously been either ambivalent or even supported the American presence were now rejecting it and if they were not actively fighting then at least sympathizing with those who were.

<snip>

http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2020.cfm

[Phoebe_in_Sydney]

1. interesting read ...

"I don’t think that the government produced by these elections will have any more legitimacy than the one appointed by the Americans now."

Sadly, I agree with this final point re the Iraqi elections. I just don't see how the government that emerges from this election will be able to quell the insurgency anymore than the current one. And if life continues to be miserable and dangerous for the average Iraqi I can't see the concept that they now have "democracy" is going to mean a damn thing to them.

Also interesting that Martinkus believes the terrorists checking out his work on the internet probably saved his life.

[McKenzie]

2. glad you liked it but "English soccer" ?

Brit soccer!!! (read your profile)

Sorry for the hurt national pride thing...we Scots are often annoyed by "England" being used when it's really "Britain" that's meant!

Greetings from a pommie.

[Phoebe_in_Sydney]

4. Sorry, but I did mean English soccer not British

I follow Arsenal in the English Premier League and really have no interest in Scottish soccer. Or Irish or Welsh.

I do know the difference between British and English -- being of Irish heritage.

Don't take it hard though. I don't have much interest in French, Spanish, Dutch or Italian soccer either to be honest -- other than where those leagues cross over into the European Champions League.

And as for Aussie soccer... never been to a game, though I do watch the occasional Socceroos match on TV.

[rooboy]

3. When things melted down in East Timor...

and the militia were killing people everywhere, for a couple of days Martinkus on a phone was virtually the only link between the outside world and events on the ground there. He's a good journo.