Issues & Ideas - The Dollar Value of Murder

by Neil Munro

Sat. Feb. 17, 2007


Three attackers shot Iraqi comedian Walid Hassan four times in the head on November 20, 2006. Hassan's death was no more or less tragic than those of thousands of other Iraqis who have been killed in the three months since. But it had particular impact because he was a man trying to bring some laughter and lightness to a country in the throes of violence. He was the star of a weekend TV program called Caricature, which satirized Iraq's poor security, long gas lines, electricity blackouts, ineffective politicians, and insensitive coalition soldiers, and thereby provided some desperately needed comic relief.

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