While we are happy that Douglas Wood had been safely “rescued” by the Iraqi Army from the insurgents, we feel he is not a very likeable character, unlike his brothers.
He strutted and swaggered like a conquering hero during his first press conference, recklessly calling his kidnappers ‘arseholes’ even before he knew whether his co-hostages were either released or aleady killed.
Subsequently when told that his Iraqi co-hostages, supposedly his friends, had been murdered by the insurgents, he hasn’t even made calls of condolence to the widows of the victims, people who had welcomed him warmly into their houses and shared with him their dinner in happier times. One of the victim’s son wants to talk to Wood, to find out more about his father’s last moments but his email remained unanswered by Wood. Wood's brother provided some excuses.
Many Australians are now disappointed with Wood’s behaviour, made worse by his commercial exploitation of an event that had cost Australian taxpayers millions of dollars. The Australian reported Wood as “an arrogant bloke showing none of the sophistication or humility of his brothers and family, on the make for as much as he could get. All up, his TV, magazine and book deals are said to be worth about $1 million. When these factors became clear there was an almost palpable change in the public mood. Perhaps the good ol' Aussie hero had feet of clay?”
Australians also want to know whether his family would keep their promise to donate to an Iraqi charity, what was he doing in Iraq, and why he had so much cash there? But none of these were asked nor answers offered during a subsequent TV interview which earned Wood Aus$400,000.
Wood’s answer finally came, when he admitted he was there on a military contract to build a multi-million dollar barracks for the US military.
Related posts:
(1) Sheik al Hilaly – From Aussie Villain to Aussie hero?
(2) Rescue of Douglas Wood – The Plot Thickens
(3) Rescue of Douglas Wood was no Big Sheik
(4) Post-Rescue Gungho Behaviour of Douglas Wood Dangerous to Other Hostages
(5) Douglas Wood Rescue – Dangerous Double Cross
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