President George W. Bush shakes the prosthetic hand of Iraqi Qasim Ghida Kadhim at the White House today. Bush met with seven Iraqis whose hands were cut off by Saddam Hussein's regime and who recently received new hands in Houston.
Posted on 05/25/2004 12:39:29 PM PDT by weegee
WASHINGTON -- Seven Iraqi men whose hands were ordered cut off by Saddam Hussein met with President Bush at the White House today, along with a Houston doctor who helped fit them with prosthetics.
"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein with six other Iraqi citizens as well who suffered the same fate," Bush said, shaking the new hand of Qasim Ghida Kadhim at a photo opportunity at the Oval Office. "They are examples of the brutality of the tyrant."
Kadhim, a salesman, and the six others had their hands crudely amputated in 1995 at Abu Ghraib, the Iraqi prison that was a symbol of torture under Saddam's regime and more recently was the scene of alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops.
The men were accused of doing business in foreign currency, including American dollars.
The six other men were Laith Niema Aqar, a jeweler; Salah Hasan Zinad, a businessman; Nazaar Abdulridha Joudi, a jeweler; Ala'a Hassan, a textile salesman; Basim Ameer, the news manager of the Iraqi Media Network; and Hassan Al Gereawy, a laborer.
Last week, Al Gareawy said of his surgery and rehabilitation, "It's a dream come true."
In recent interviews with the news media, the men have profusely thanked the United States and American troops for bringing hope for freedom and democracy to Iraq.
Bush thanked Joe Agris, the plastic surgeon who fitted the men with high-tech hands last month, and others who helped bring about the surgeries. Don North, a documentary producer, discovered the men last year and sought help for them in the United States, and a Houston journalist, Marvin Zindler, helped arrange for their surgeries and publicized their story.
The prostheses, each valued at $50,000, as well as all services, were donated.
President George W. Bush shakes the prosthetic hand of Iraqi Qasim Ghida Kadhim at the White House today. Bush met with seven Iraqis whose hands were cut off by Saddam Hussein's regime and who recently received new hands in Houston.
the man who made this documentary cannot get a distribution deal for it - even Fox News will not cover the story. Laura Ingraham interiewed the filmaker - it was riveting.
Bush should have had these men at his speech last night - pointed them out, tell people what was done to them, to understand what real torture is.
HOUSTON PING
Indeed this is a great story. Glad Mark Belling covered it so extensively on Rush's program yesterday.
I'll tell you the truth, though. I'm so on eggshells with my man the Prez these days, that I had this fear he would shake hands with these guys and rip the prosthetic right off one of the guy's arms. Coud you imagine the press coverage then??
Supposedly the hands 'fingers' actually move and everything. If true, that's pretty dammed cool.
And people still think that schools and hospitals would close if government didn't tax us for them. Go figure.
Marvin Zindler is a unique individual and well known in the Houston community. He has a group of *Marvin's Angels* that help folks in need.
"the Iraqi prison that was a symbol of torture under Saddam's regime and more recently was the scene of alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops."
Actually the AP meant to say and "MORE IMPORTANTLY"
He's also the guy who got The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas shut down.
related story here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1141956/posts
I saw an article on the prosthesis. I think that it "senses" when something (like a glass) is slipping and can tighten the grip.
You are correct. Marvin Zindler in his younger years, was responsible for having the 'Chicken Ranch' in La Grange, Texas shut down. It made such a splash that they made a musical about it.
Let's Go To The Olympics. (Such the Barf Alert!!)
The long-dreaded 2004 Olympics in Greece will be the ultimate crossroads for sports and politics in this new and vicious century. The recent photos of cruelty at the Abu Grahaib all-american prison in Baghdad have taken care of that.
[snip]
Not even the foulest atrocities of Adolf Hitler ever shocked me so badly as these photographs did.
Marvin Zindler is the only person I know who has had more plastic surgery than Michael Jackson.
Maybe so, but Marvin doesn't look like Bianca Jagger now.
LOL, nope he must have had a better surgeon. Still, I find him a little scary-looking.
Later, the man watches the video of his healthy hand being amputated. He weeps.
When the men came through Germany, they went out for Mexican food (they never had Mexican food and wanted to try it). They were full of happiness and hope. Now they have both because of America's aid and care.
Dear Liberal Lord Haw-Haw Media: shame on you for not covering this story with even 1/100th of the intensity you gave to the prison abuse story.
Shame.
And how many grey wigs and blue tinted glasses does the man own?
Marvin Zindler.I'm guessing this photo was taken about three surgeries and two wigs ago.
I heard about this story last week on Glenn Beck's broadcast. An interesting tidbit is the fact that Don North has not be able to find a network to broadcaster the documentary. Wonder if he would have any luck at Cannes. /sarcasm.
This can't be true. Dan Rather told me they hated us!
I lived with my dad for a summer in Houston in 92.
I can still hear "SLIIIIIIME in the ice machine. . ." and "Maarvin Zindlerrr, EEEYYYYEEEWitness News" in my head from time to time.
Not bad for an 82 year old man. I do believe that picture is at least 10 years old though.
Nothing has changed since you were last here. And they'll probably be propping up his mummified body for that segment 50 years from now.
The Bush campaign should turn this meeting into a campaign commercial.
LOL! So true...
That's all? Now, if Saddam had taken pictures of them naked, THAT would be news.
That's presumably because the victims weren't Jewish, eh Mr. Thompson?
good god. yep, those lampshades didn't bother me too much either.
fyi
Bush is going to be on C-Span tonight (Tuesday) at 11:30 with the Iraqi amputees.
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