By Gamal Fahmi A torrent of horrific stories is coming out of Iraq, where unknown groups have taken to abducting and killing innocent people on the most outrageous pretexts, while claiming to resist US occupation. Only recently, two French journalists, Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot, were abducted by individuals who want to make France, a friendly country, reverse a law banning headscarves from schools. The horror and shame of it all. I want to apologise as if the guilt is mine. Why does the hurt go so deep? Why do I get personal? It took me time until I figured out why. For starters, such horror takes away the moral advantage we've had so far over the US occupation forces. These atrocities mitigate the shock caused by the news of torture in Abu Ghraib. The perpetrators of such crimes are competing with the Americans in moral and political depravity. The ultimate victim of their crimes is a nation subjected to the worst invasion and occupation in recent memory. The atrocities are an indictment of us all, just as the 9/11 attacks were. And we're in no position to defend ourselves, due to the widespread despotism and utter repression in our countries. We cannot tell the world who we really are. We cannot defend ourselves. We cannot project our true image of cultural and psychological diversity. When ignorant voices speak in our midst, they sound as if they are our own. When people commit crimes in the name of resistance, these crimes are automatically pinned on us all. We need to break free from this stigma, but first of all we need our freedom back. This week's Soapbox speaker is managing editor of Al-Arabi newspaper issued by the Nasserist Party.
