A retired Florida schoolteacher who went to Iraq to
serve as a “human shield” is facing hefty fines, which she is
refusing to pay. The US Treasury said that Faith Fippinger, 62, broke
the law by crossing the Iraqi border before the war. Her travel to Iraq
violated U.S. sanctions that prohibited American citizens from engaging
in “virtually all direct or indirect commercial, financial or trade
transactions with Iraq.” The government also has asked Fippinger,
62, to detail her travels to Iraq and any financial transactions she made.
In her response, Fippinger wrote that the only money she spent was on
food and emergency supplies and that “if it comes to fines or imprisonment,
“please be aware that I will not contribute money to the United States
government to continue the build-up of its arsenal of weapons.” Since
she won't pay, she said, “perhaps the alternative should be considered.”