though I'm not about to be a human shield
Then what in the world are you going on about.
Until proven otherwise anyone on this board is "all mouth". I can say right now that I would happily give up what's left of my life for any young soldier killed in Iraq but that is just talk because it isn't possible.
As far as the "courage" of the human shields, lets wait and see where they set up their stand and how many of them die. Courage is displayed by actually facing death. So far they are just running their mouth.