A Marine taken Hostage..???

Is it just me or...

from JoeUser Forums
Ok now I am in no way saying this is fact, just my opinion. I am really curious about this Marine that has supposedly been taken hostage. Let me state why.

First his nationality/ ethnic background - Lebanese and his name is Wassef Hassoun. He is muslim and I find it hard to believe that a Marine could be lured away from his base by himself. And then caputured without a fight. What?? He just walked out to be with strangers?

Lets just suppose that that maybe he is a muslim trying to aid the enemy? Maybe he let himself be captured or taken so they can use it as a media tool? I just find it strange he could be lured away, and he happens to be muslim, and he just seems to good for the enemy, and no time limit to kill him like the others?

Is it just me? Or does this all not add up to something strange??
3,207 views 22 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Hmmm... I hadn't heard of that yet. I'll have to ask my husband what he thinks. It does sound a little fishy though.

Emma
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
1. I'd be more concerned with this: Link
2. It may appear fishy, but nothing anywhere that I could find seems to indicate that he may by helping the enemy. The closest would be the DoD not confirming his being taken prisoner, and instead mentioning that he "has been absent from his unit since June 21." Link
3. Where did you see mentioned that he was "captured without a fight?" Was this included in the capturing group's statement? Additionally, do you think he should have put up a fight if he had been surrounded by four or more gunmen with AKs leveled at him? (Mere speculation on my part, but I figured that I could indulge if you could.)

I admit it, tho. I thought similar thoughts when I first heard about it this morning.
Then I quashed those thoughts as unfair to a man who is serving in my military, and I will continue to supress them until more evidence comes to light. The reporting of this event today has had a few contradictions over various news agencies (BBC claims that al-jazeera claimed that he was Pakistani, no evidence of that on their site now; some say a statement pleading his release is from his family, some say it was from a family friend; some say his family claims that is him in the video, some say they contacted his sister and she had no idea he had been taken). I hope that things will become more clear before this turns out like the first link I gave...
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sarah,

I posted a question and asked for constructive comments, not insults and small minded little attitudes.

pseudo - I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt also, but ever since that one guy threw the grenade into the tent, I have to assume there are a few more like him, out of 130,000. Maybe? And the timing is really good also. But it could all be ligit, I just think to much is out of wack.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
not insults and small minded little attitudes


Oh, and assuming a Marine is a collaborator with the Terrorists because of his name isn't small minded at all...

feed the hate ShadowWar...

BAM!!!
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thanks Muggaz. I love you. But you're right, ShadowWar, it was an incendiary comment, and meant to point out what seems to me to be bigotry. I've never head anybody question the validity of a hostage before now and these guys have been beheading civilians and soldiers alike for months. It smacks of racism to question this man's loyalty or patriotism based almost solely on his being of middle eastern descent.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
No problem Sarah...

I dont see how ShadowWar can defend himself when he has admitted his hatred of Muslims anyways...

BAM!!!
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm not gonna make any assumptions at this point. I can say, though, that there are a lot of really odd things about this particular case.

I could make you a list of the oddities, a fairly long one that has nothing to do with his race, but I don't want to take part in anything unfair if it ends up being a big mistake. It could very well be that this person was no different than the others. As I said, though, there are some questions.

Muggaz and the rest, reserve judgment. Shadowar isn't originating these questions. Dig a bit and you'll find them.
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
P.S. who is being snippy now, Muggaz?
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
P.S. who is being snippy now, Muggaz?


Me, because ShadowWar is an admitted bigot... I will happily point you to some great bigotry with his name all over it...

I am sorry for being snappy though... I just dont think anyone should jump to any conclusions... to Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME

BAM!!!
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
As I said, I probably wouldn't have made a blog about it myself, but there are details that are troubling to many people, and that have nothing to do with bigotry.

That wasn't the point of your retort, though, was it. You saw an opportunity and you took it.

Like I say, you have the ability to comment on the other statements you are bitching about where he made them. Why do it here?
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reply By: MuggazPosted: Monday, June 28, 2004not insults and small minded little attitudesOh, and assuming a Marine is a collaborator with the Terrorists because of his name isn't small minded at all...feed the hate ShadowWar...BAM!!!


Hey little minded hate monger, I said it appeared out of wack, find anywhere in my post where I say he is a traitor or anything close. I said this just appears to be a little wierd, you are narrow minded person who jumps to conclusions. All I have said is it looks fishy. Oh thats right I am not allowed to think or have an opinion if it 'MIGHT" differ from you. all you friggin idiots that jump to conclusions and put words into peoples mouths should shut up unless you have constructive points to make.

Where in the world you a$$ Muggaz did I ever say I am a bigot?? You are such a hate mongering little minded poor excuse for a person I refuse to have a battle of words or wits with an unarmed person..


BAM!!!! And as for the facts, my point is as the way the "FACTS" have been presented to us, you notice its not the same as the others, its very quite. I am not saying just because he is a Muslim he is a traitor, those are your words not mine. I am saying taking ALL the issues into account it strikes me as fishy or wierd or whatever term you wish to use. If you can't make adult, non-hate statements then stay out of it. You see hate and racism were not brought up until you did it, not me. BAM!!!
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
Where in the world you a$$ Muggaz did I ever say I am a bigot??


Link

May not be bigotry by your definitions, but it is by mine... of course you dont go around professing your bigotry to the world... you are basically claiming Islam is to blame for everything...

How you can posibly pretend to present the fact's here in an un-biased fashion, when we all clearly know your stance, and the implications you are suggesting... well... I think that is propostorous...

You think are are so clever with your 'fishy' suggestions... hide behind semantics all you wish, but you know, I know, and anyone else who has ever read anything you have written knows exactly what you are incinuating... Wassef Hassoun probably loves America more than you do... we dont know that, so dont try to implicate him with terrorists just because he is a muslim...

If he was trying to aid the enemy, I have enough faith in your intelligence agencies and screening processes to identify that threat...

BAM!!!
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
Muggaz, your link proves nothing, it is my opinion on Islam. I am not a bigot and will leave it at that. I will no longer entertain a response to your responses. I see now what you are and should have seen it before. Shame on me for not seeing it before.

BAM!!!
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
BTW -
big·ot ( P ) n.
One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. Sounds more like some people on here than me. I at least ask for other opinions rather than quash them.

2. A person who regards his own faith and views in matters of religion as unquestionably right, and any belief or opinion opposed to or differing from them as unreasonable or wicked. In an extended sense, a person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals; one obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion.

Hmmm sounds even more like some on here who are not open to others opinions. I post my opinion and it automatically is wrong and racist? Sounds like the above definition is being used against me not to describe me.
Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top

Interesting article- petty responses.

Why is it OK for somebody to have "theories" about the President, but they are a "bigot" if they have a theory on a current event?

War is not logical- you have to think outside the box.  Anything (like this theory) is possible. 

[moderator] attack the message, not the messenger [/moderator]

Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top
Citing: http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1550386,00.html news24.com, also found in The Mercury News, The New York Times and Miami Herald. Hmmm guess I was closer to the truth than I really wanted to be.. in todays news ...


Washington - A Lebanese-American Marine under threat of beheading by an armed group in Iraq deserted his post in shock after seeing one of his sergeants blown apart and was heading to his native Lebanon when he was kidnapped, the New York Times said on Wednesday.

The daily said Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun has been missing since June 21 but marine officials had not announced this until late on Sunday, hours after Arab satellite news channel Al-Jazeera broadcast a tape from an armed group threatening to behead a US marine unless all detainees in US-led coalition prisons in Iraq were freed.

A marine officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the New York Times that after suffering emotional trauma from seeing one of his sergeants blown up by a mortar shell Ali Hassoun tried to make his way home to Lebanon but was betrayed by Iraqis he had befriended on his base.

"It was very disturbing to him," the officer said. "He wanted to go home and quit the game but since he was relatively early in his deployment, that was not going to happen anytime soon.

"So he talked to some folks on base he befriended, because they were all fellow Muslims, and they helped sneak him off.

"Once off, instead of helping him get home, they turned him over to the bad guys... It's all we know right now," the officer added.

Sword hanging over his head

The tape from the armed group calling itself the "Islamic Retaliation Movement - Armed Resistance Wing", showed a blindfolded man with a moustache, dressed in camouflage garb, with a sword brandished over his head and close-ups of identification cards.

The group said it had abducted the missing marine after "infiltrating a US military base in Iraq" but gave no deadline for carrying out the threatened execution.

Hassoun went missing on June 21 near the flashpoint town of Fallujah, although military officials have not confirmed that he was being held hostage.

Qatar-based Al-Jazeera said on Tuesday it had received video footage of the execution of US soldier Keith Maupin who had been held captive for more than two months. Maupin was the first US soldier to be taken hostage since the war in Iraq began.

Beside Ali Hassoun, a Pakistani hostage has also been threatened with decapitation by his kidnappers unless detained Iraqis are released.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
SW - ... Do you know what I'm going to ask for? Can you guess it? CITE!?!?

Anyway, CNN has a more conservative version of events, here: Link
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Anyway, CNN has a more conservative version of events, here: Link


OK the Communist News Network is not my first choice. But hey what do you think they would say, no one wants to upset the family, the Muslims or any other politically correct group. If you can stop being PC for a bit and just hit the plain truth, its uglier than most would like to admit.

Maybe we need a dose of plain unwashed truth in this nation. Take PC out of it, take bias out of it and call it like it is and maybe just maybe people would see what really is the story behind the story.
Reply #20 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've just realized that the article you posted (and correctly pointed me to, thanks) uses the New York Times as a reference. And you complain of me referencing CNN?
This is a South African news agency?

I guess the AWOL thing isn't really new news, tho, as it might've been interpreted as such when his captivity was announced: Link

And here's another different view of the events (this time from FOX, if that suits you better): Link
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Honestly, it doesn't change the fact that this is horrible, and that this guy doesn't deserve to be beheaded more than anyone else. Down deep I wish it were all a big fake thing or something, even if the guy was working with terrorists. At least then someone woulnd't be looking forward to a beheading.

I don't think ShadowWar meant to disparage anyone, there was just a lot of oddities to this one. I had the same questions.

It sounds like he just wanted to go home. I'd have to say "There but by the grace of God go I." Here's hoping they cut him the same "Brother Muslim" slack they cut the Turkish prisoners. And here's hoping they drop dead soon after, before they can find anyone else to behead.
Reply #22 from JoeUser Forums Top
I've just realized that the article you posted (and correctly pointed me to, thanks) uses the New York Times as a reference. And you complain of me referencing CNN? This is a South African news agency?I guess the AWOL thing isn't really new news, tho, as it might've been interpreted as such when his captivity was announced: LinkAnd here's another different view of the events (this time from FOX, if that suits you better): Link


Pseudo I was just citing as many as I could. I actually don't trust any media until I check it out on several and then sift through the bias, left or right additions. I think the Army is changing its tune because they are afraid of causing a problem with the Muslim community if they accuse a Muslim military member of deserting. So lets call him AWOL instead. I hate this PC crap. I am so tired of the sugar coating of everything because they don't want to "upset" this or that group. Call it like it is, let the people decide for themselves.

Baker, thanks your right I was not trying to disparage anyone, just that when I first heard this story it struck me as strange the way it was written and the lack of facts or those that were presented. Having been Army myself I thought the circumstances were strange. And I guess I was part right. Anyway we see now that he was AWOL or deserting or whatever you want to call it (I personally call it deserting, leaving your post to flee home?) and tried to make contact with Muslim Iraq's in the camp to help him. I would like to find those guys also and check them out (which I am sure the Army is doing). Anyway the whole thing struck me as strange. I hope the guy gets out of it, and then the Army puts him away as a deserter. Personal point of view...