Western human shields in Baghdad, America may bomb them?

BAGHDAD, February 18 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The first “war council” opened late Monday, February 17, in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, with the “human shields” planning to select their targets carefully and split up into different units while coordinating the action once the battle gets underway.

For Ben, a 25-year-old American, there's a lot of work to be done. "We have no plan. We don't have an organization. We don't have a leadership," he admitted at the opening of a first war council of the "human shields" who have come to Baghdad, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Their ambitions run high. They hope to prevent thousands of tons of U.S. bombs raining down on Iraq at the launch of any campaign to (allegedly) overthrow President Saddam Hussein for allegedly concealing banned arms programs in defiance of the United Nations.

Gathered in a smoke-filled hall of a Baghdad hotel, they have come from around the world in a bid to keep at bay the armada mobilized around Iraq by the United States and Britain.

Westerners in Palestinian keffiyehs (head covers) and dungarees mingle with Islamic scarves worn by young women from Turkey, as some 30 activists huddle in a circle to debate how to combat the mighty war machine.

"We have to decide where, when and how we want to be human shields," he told the meeting on the first floor of the Andalous Hotel.

John Ross, 65, surveys the meeting with one eye, the other one hidden behind a black patch since he lost it in an accident. A veteran fighter for causes, he wears his white hair in a pony-tail.

"We are here to protect the population in Iraq, we want to make the American government change its plans," said Ross, a journalist, poet and writer.

For the resident of Mexico who renounced U.S. citizenship, the Iraq crisis brings back memories of Vietnam.

"I was the first conscientious objector to be sent to prison. I went to jail on August 4, 1964," just three days before Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution which launched the Vietnam war, he said.

A translator is busy at work for the hefty contingent from Turkey, as the chief of staff meets to draw up a plan of action for the 200 or so human shields who have arrived so far in the Iraqi capital.

Gordon, a young and athletic man, reasons that they should be careful with the choice of sites to be protected.

"We should choose the best sites. If we go to a purification plant, it should be the one that produces the best water," he recommends to his fellow human shields.

A fellow American, Bruce, who sports a tan, is worried and says they must deploy quickly. He proposes drawing up a list of priority targets.

"It gives us hope in the future," said Ross, pointing to the group of young men and women who have come from as far a field as New York, London and Istanbul to fight against all odds.

Godfrey Meynell, in his late 60s, says he had no hesitation in joining the "crusade", although the grueling double-decker bus journey from London has left his legs weak.

Japanese "Human Shields"

On Sunday, nine Japanese anti-war activists left Tokyo for Baghdad to act as human shields in the event of a U.S.-led attack against Iraq.

The nine were traveling with 20 Japanese peace activists, including a 18-year-old high school girl.

They held a banner at Japan's Narita international airport that read "Iraq-Japan: Peace and Friendship" and two young men carried placards that said: "I am going to Iraq to stop war" and "Do not attack Iraq!"

Japan on Friday advised its nationals in Iraq to leave immediately, saying it was getting difficult to secure departure flights from the country.

On Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets of downtown Tokyo to join a global protest against a possible war.

Mandela Invited to “Join The Club”

On Thursday, February 13, the mostly western human shields said they had invited Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela to join their "voice for peace."

"We have written to ask (former South African president) Nelson Mandela to join us here in Baghdad as a voice for peace," said Canadian Roberta Taman, a leading member of the first group, which arrived in Baghdad a week ago.

"We have not had a response from him yet, but we know that he has said he would come to Baghdad if he was invited. So we have extended that invitation and are waiting to hear from him," she told a press conference.

Taman said her group of 15 volunteers comprised two Canadians, a Spaniard, a Turk and 11 Italians. The group brought with them food and medicine supplies to distribute as well as a Saint Bernard dog.

"More are on their way. There are 40 Italians arriving tomorrow, some people from Spain, a large group from Turkey," she said.

"We are here as part of our own 'human shields' effort; we are here independently as a group of people representing families from each of our countries," she said.

"We came independently. Nobody is funding us. Nobody asked us to come," she added.