US tourist stabbed in beach row over Iraq
An American tourist has been stabbed by a German holidaymaker after they argued about Iraq in a Philippines beach bar.
The pair had been drinking and got into a heated row over whether military intervention was justified against Saddam Hussein, police in Moalboal town said.
American John Philip Flynn was angered when the German, Frank Oesterle, allegedly compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler for advocating the use of force against Iraq.
A scuffle broke out and 37-year-old Oesterle stabbed Flynn, 41, with a pocket knife, officers said. Oesterle was arrested and Flynn was taken to hospital.
“According to the German guy, he didn’t want war, but the American said they were a strong nation and they could pulverise Iraq,” local police chief Henry Obiso said.
“I admonished them to avoid drinking excessively and leave such a delicate topic to their governments.”
