Scott Taylor's - Five Days in Hell
Via Liberating Iraq the story of Scott Taylor held captive in Iraq for five days.
No matter what your thoughts on his previous writings or political views, his tale is gripping and filled with insights into the terrorist we face today in Iraq, and will face elsewhere should we fail.
A couple of passages follow:
"In the first hours, they had been very strict in enforcing the rules. I was to sit on a broken chair in the middle of my cell. However, as the temperature rose to a 45° Celsius and my sun-baked room turned into an oven, they had compassionately allowed me to venture outside. By nightfall everyone was so relaxed that Zeynep and I sat eating dinner and talking to our guards. The young boy stated that his only ambition in life was to “die a martyr.” Shortly past dark, the Emir returned and informed that he had confirmed that we were not spies. He gave a ‘Muslim promise’ to set us free in the morning. On this night Zeynep and I would remain his ‘guests’. We were also about to become front – row spectators to an intense battle between resistance and the U.S. forces.The website, Anti-War.Com, has an interview with him also.---
As soon as everyone was settled around my bed, the interrogator said that I did not have to fear any torture as this round of questioning would be far more straightforward. “It is either life or knife – with each answer that you give us,” he said, “So please relax.” For over one hour I carefully answered all their questions – careful to avoid the obvious traps. For instance, when asked, “Have you ever visited the State of Israel?” I answered, “No, I have never been to the occupied State of Palestine”.
I have no idea whether or not my answers were convincing – in fact, I suspect that the decision to release me had already been made at some high level – but during one of my lengthy replies, the interrogator suddenly said, “Stop. Get your things. You will live. You are free”.
