Iraq Refuse To Wear Black Armbands

[radhak]

for a viewpoint of the 'other' side :

Iraq Refuse To Wear Black Armbands (http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=25697)

For all the sympathies i have for the family of the journalist, i find it difficult to argue with the iraqi team's rationale. after all, "why don't all foreigners just get the hell out" is a valid question.

[Mark James]

"We will not be wearing black armbands. The Italians will be and we respect their choice," Hamd told AFP.

"We regret the death of the Italian journalist but it's necessary also to think of the hundreds of Iraqis who have died each day during resistance to the occupation.

"It would be necessary to wear an armband every day. We sent a messsage to the kidnappers to free the journalist but sadly it was in vain."

That seems a perfectly sensible statement.

Would be interesting to know just why the Italian team decided to wear black armbands. Did this apply to all Italian athletes competing that day, or was it a crass attempt to unsettle the Iraqi team?

Certainly seems an over-the-top response to the death of a single compatriot who was, through choice, engaged in a dangerous job in a dangerous country.