useful idiot, now somewhat less useful
Baghdad's favorite ex-Marine.
Ken O'Keefe, the former U.S. Marine (dishonorably discharged for fighting with a superior officer) turned anti-American radical, has discovered that dealing with totalitarian regimes isn't quite as enjoyable an experience as he hoped. O'Keefe and four other so-called "human shields" were forced out of Iraq recently after disagreeing with Hussein's regime over which areas The Shields™ would protect. Ken and friends planned to set up shop at some food storage warehouses and water facilities, while the Iraqis were hoping to station them at locations that would actually be likely bombing targets, such as anti-aircraft batteries and power plants.
O'Keefe, who for some reason changed his last name recently from Nichols, told AP: "The Iraqi government was acting absolutely very stupid. If they had only cooperated and let us do part of what we wanted to do, we could have worked with them also to protect these sites and we would have brought in more people to stay." Well, Ken, someone was certainly acting "absolutely very stupid." Imagine, the Iraqis were not cooperative! I wonder if it occurs to Mr. O'Keefe that if Hussein were the accomodative sort, neither the human shields nor Hussein would be in the positions they now find themselves in the first place.
O'Keefe's most recent misadventure is only the latest in his rather fruitless efforts to embarass the country he refuses to call home. To that end, he even has a tattoo proclaiming his "expat" status on the back of his right hand. O'Keefe has attempted to renounce his U.S. citizenship on more than one occasion, including one attempt to gain "Hawaiian citizenship" as he apparently believes that Hawaii is a foreign country. He's also trying to sue the United States in the International Criminal Court over the use of Depleted Uranium shells in the Gulf War, despite the fact that exposure to DU is about as dangerous as the average dental X-ray. Even his fellow leftist human shield chum John Ross describes him in an article for Alternet as "mad."
In the Twilight Zone episode "A Quality of Mercy," a World War II officer experiences a battle through the mind of his adversary. The temporary transformation to the other side tempers his extremism. Unfortunately, Ken's brief time in Iraq apparently hasn't taught him much about the true nature of totalitarian regimes.
17.03.2003 © ljr