Posted on 08/23/2006 6:46:23 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper
The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Wednesday he would lead an ecumenical delegation to the Middle East this week to meet with political and religious leaders about troubles in the region, including the kidnapping of two Fox News journalists.
Jackson, the veteran civil rights leader and head of his Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, said the group would leave Friday night for meetings in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. He declined to release his planned itinerary because of security concerns.
"We had been working with the Middle Eastern Council of Churches, but couldn't get in earlier because of the bombings," Jackson said.
He said his delegation would consist of about 10 people representing Jewish, Muslim, Roman Catholic and Protestant groups.
Jackson said his mission would have three goals: urging the extension of the cease-fire in Lebanon, arranging humanitarian aid in Lebanon and in the Israeli city of Haifa, and inquiring into several hostage situations.
He said his group is concerned about the fate of Israeli soldiers held hostage by Hezbollah, as well as by the kidnapping of Fox News correspondent Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig, who were kidnapped Aug. 14 from their TV van near the Palestinian security services headquarters in Gaza City.
Jackson has had success several times in the past in negotiating the release of political hostages.
In 1984, he met with President Hafez Assad of Syria and arranged the release of a Navy pilot whose plane was shot down over Lebanon during an American air strike against a Syrian anti-aircraft position a month earlier. Also that year, Jackson traveled to Cuba and persuaded Fidel Castro to release 48 American and Cuban political prisoners.
In 1990, he helped win the release from Iraq of more than 700 foreign women and children detained as human shields against an American military attack after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. He persuaded Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in 1999 to free three Americans he was holding prisoner.
But Jackson acknowledged the case of Centanni and Wiig was particularly difficult because so little is known about the militant group holding them.
Nonetheless, Jackson said he had hopes that regional leaders could help his group in its quest.
"I believe all nations must see the value of releasing prisoners as a means of releasing tensions in the area," Jackson said.
want...two Fox News staffers
sounds like a deal
Really, this is a sick world...I really pray for the safe return of those two fellows and their families.
We'll see if the ultimate Attention Whore can do any good.
We'll even pay the kidnappers to not give her back!!!
PLEASE, take the Hi-Jack-scum hostage, and do what you do, so well, muzzie filth. I'll gleefully and giddily watch the new beheading video, Achmed! Over, and over, and over, and over, and over... until the external Seagate 200GB HD crashes.
Heh. Aw, heck, I'll even save it to the HD and pass it around to my vast mailing lists. Then, invite criminal Sharp-scum over for a chat...
Translation: "Ooh! Television cameras! Attention! Me-moth-you-flame!"
I'm really surprised that Bill Richardson didn't think to go get them. He's had good success getting people released and since he's planning on a Presidential run in 08, you'd think he'd want more rescues to his credit. IF it didn't work out, the kidnappers could hold him too. That would do all of us who live in NM a favor. If he's held captive, he can't spend our money! LOL
LMAO
I wonder who he will shake down over there?
Maybe the Hamas wannabees will keep Jackson and release Centanni and Wiig. Two innocents for one idiot, such a deal. LOL Actually I hope Jesse has success in getting the two Foxers released.
This is nothing but a womanizing bastard spawning worthless piece of goat smegma. Maybe the Muzzifascists will take a little off the top...............of his shoulders. He is a true communist and a punk puke. Take Sharpton and Farakhan with you buttwipe.
Excellent point. She's got all of our money. LOL!
LOL!! Too bad he and his Attention Whore co-horts haven't at least tried to use some kind of influence to help those poor people in the Sudan. I never heard anything about Rubberband Jackson, Used To Be Fat (and useless, still am) Al Sharpton, the sorry UN, (oops that's right! It was so-called UN peacekeepers who were doing all the raping!) or any of those other bleeding heart liberals concerned about those people who are still suffering terribly. Jackson, Sheehan and the rest are all shameless and disgusting.
HA! You are so right!
You forgot the barf alert.
I would assume that there is federal law to back this up.
Thus, if Mister Jackson tries to wedge himself into this international foreign policy matter...
AND, if Mssrs Centanni and Wiig are harmed in any way...
Then I suspect that criminal charges could be filed against Mister Jackson; and, the families could sue Jackson for gazillions .
I'm no lawyer, perhaps a F.R. legal expert can set me straight if any of this is in error.
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