Lafta In Canada

Dr. Riyahd Lafta is an Iraqi researcher who had collaborated on the recent Lancet study that put the Iraqi death toll at about 655,000 since the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Earlier this year his attempt to visit the U.S.A. and present this research, as well as new material on rising childhood cancer rates in southern Iraq, was stymied by the U.S. state department. Furthermore, his attempts to visit Canada (Simon Fraser University) failed when the British government refused to offer him a transit visa through that country. Talk about attacking the messenger!

Luckily, however, an airline was found that flies direct from Jordan to Canada, and Dr. Lafta is now in Vancouver. Details of his story, and his Friday (Jul. 20th) web-cast can be found here.

h/t to Deltoid.