Letter to FT: Jihad guy photo, 6 jan 2009

The FT
6 January 2009

Re: Jihad guy photo
[Hamas faces a share of the blame, T Buck, 5 jan 2009]
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/da9b89b0-db53-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html


Sir,

I continue to laud the FT for its fair exposition of the facts so often conveniently eclipsed about Hamas, its activities, support for it, assassinations of its leaders, and more.

I will point out one fairly inconsequential detail.
The fighter in the photo represents Islamic Jihad, not Hamas.
Neither would mind the mixup, and even the name of the group looks similar in Arabic, with some of the letters hidden on the left [Quds Brigades, for Jihad, looks like the beginning of Qassam Brigades, for Hamas]. But you can tell by the tell-tale Jihad logo with a map of Palestine between the two fists. Hamas’s logo has evolved in time, though.

In any case, the photo gives valuable sociological information.

1. It is a professional photo, clearly posed, perhaps to be used for a martyr poster in that eventuality.
2. He is married so he has strong commitments to life on this earth, and to protecting his community, especially those in need most, such as women and children.
3. He is young and handsome – note the fine eyebrows and beautiful eyes, quite a contrast to the quizzical smirk in the photo accompanying Edward Luce’s lucid comment about “no presidents whatsoever” on the same page [Bush stops short of condemnation, 6 jan 2009].
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4dccc074-db91-11dd-be53-000077b07658.html
4. He is courageous. He braves the colossal metal behemoths and superior technical weaponry of the heavily-helmeted occupying army, while he is bareheaded but for thin nylon.

Just a few observations.

Annie Higgins
Chicago