Originally Posted by Vim_Fuego
Kember has the look and mannerisms of a person that would take the stance most guaranteed to rile any decent person.
Interesting.
We have a 74 year old man who, while quite possibly being missguided, is nonetheless brave enough to make the substantial personal sacrifice to travel to Iraq in persuit of his ideals and the goal we apparently all share - peace for the Iraqis. Would you be willing to do the same?
And yet after 3 months captive, facing potential death, is freed to receive...... vitriol. Why? Because he didn't say "thank-you" soon enough?!?!
FFS!!
Given he is a long standing opponent of military action is it hardly surprising he doesn't want any part to play in the back slapping handed out after his release or any propaganda coup?
The Sun: "Operation Desert Norm"
The Telegraph: "[The Iraqis]are capable of being a pretty loathsome bunch and in many respects had what's coming to them"
...etc etc etc.
No less dare we mention that the organisation he worked for and his family asked that no lives be risked and no one be killed in a rescue attempt?
Vim, the man you are referring to was a Professor of medical physics at St. Bart's Hospital, London....yet the papers, and yourself, cast him as an idiot. Hardly an idiot. A religious idealist perhaps, but no more idiotic than those who felt invading Iraq was going to bring peace and prosperity, "liberating" armies set to be showered with flowers and the ongoing death and destruction merely blips in an otherwise shining progression to unity and democracy. This is man who's life in the medical profession has brought a great deal of good to the world.
Do his "look and mannerisms" really mean that much to you?