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Pork to be fed to Iraqi POW's
bhaloo
03/27/03 at 09:04:53
[slm]


http://www.arabnews.com/Article.asp?ID=24074


Pork to be fed to Iraqi POW's
Ayub Khan, Special to Arab News


In a disturbing revelation a US newspaper has quoted an army captain
as saying that Iraqi prisoners of war will be fed on meals containing
pork. The Kansas City Star in a March 11,2003 report quoted US Capt.
Jeff Searl of Camp Virginia in Kuwait as saying that "prisoners will
eat what US soldiers do. That could mean meals-ready-to eat, the
vacuum sealed food packs that often include some form of pork, which
observant Muslims aren't supposed to eat."

"We found in the Gulf War they ate them anyway. They were glad to
have the ham slices," he added.

In another report published in The Scotsman a US soldier based in
Camp Matilda in Kuwaiti desert talked about what to do when prisoners
or refugees turn aggressive when offered foods containing
pork. "We've learnt that if we give a ration pack containing pork to
an enemy prisoner of war or refugee they may become aggressive. If
that happens we are to make conciliatory gestures and say `Salaam',"
said Lance Corporal Chris Lucio.

Expressing his shock and dismay at these revelations and at the
captain's remarks, Dr.Munir Chaudry, president of the Islamic Food
and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), called them extremely
insensitive and offensive to the average Muslim. IFANCA is a Chicago-
based not-for-profit organization which had earlier provided input in
the development of halal MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) when the US
military decided to provide halal meals to its Muslim soldiers. In
the first Gulf War, the council had also helped some of the major
manufacturers in identifying and screening acceptable meals for
Muslim prisoners and displaced individuals.

Dr.Chaudry in a letter addressed to Pres. George W. Bush wrote that
giving meals containing pork to POWs and refugees is not a good
option because apart from being expensive they will also "fuel the
feelings of hatred and animosity among other Muslims."

He added that several alternatives are available including halal
MREs, off the shelf halal certified stable meals, and non-meat meals
and meal packs. He appealed to Mr.Bush to provide decent halal food
to the refugees as well as the POWs.

Arab News Features 22 March 2003


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