Shanaz Rashid
From Powerbase
Labour Conference 2004
- During the debate, an Iraqi exile who saw her family and friends perish at the hands of Saddam Hussein begged Britain not to desert Iraq.
- Shanaz Rashid, the wife of a member of the interim Iraqi government and member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, received a standing ovation after saying that Iraqis could not understand criticism of Mr Blair, a prime minister with "courage in understanding our pain and agony".
- She pleaded with Labour members: "Please don't desert us in our hour of need. Don't let the men of violence use terror to deny the Iraqi people their freedom."
- The mother-of-two, who fled Baghdad at the age of 18 and now lives in Surrey, said: "Some of you may feel you can attack your leader over Iraq, but it is Mr Blair who has stood up to Saddam and freed my people, who for the past 35 years have suffered destruction, humiliation, chemical weapons attacks, poverty, torture and rape.[1]
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