Posted on 07/14/2004 1:24:55 AM PDT by kattracks
July 14, 2004 -- Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the notorious butcher responsible for widespread terror in Iraq, struck again yester day. The Execution Channel — a.k.a. Al-Jazeera TV — said it had a videotape of the murder of a Bulgarian truck driver whom Zarqawi's thugs had held and threatened with death if the United States did not release all Iraqi detainees by Saturday.The terrorists reportedly also issued a 24-hour ultimatum for a second Bulgarian hostage.
Zarqawi probably doesn't expect to do much for prisoners held by Coalition forces. Surely, this depraved but intelligent psychopath has never seriously thought Washington would cave to such threats. And so far the Bush folks, laudably, have resisted these kinds of demands.
But should he be lucky enough to win concessions, like the withdrawal of troops or the release of prisoners, so much the better for him and the terrorist cause.
Which is why it is essential not only that governments refuse to negotiate with Zarqawi and his cutthroats (or any other terrorist), but that the Coalition and the new Iraqi government launch an all-out campaign for his head.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Belmont Club has some good recent entries on the Phillipine mess, esp. some excellent history on the past few years of Abu Sayyaf ransoming exploits. Paying them off began with europeans ponying up millions for hostages back in the late nineties and immediately had them off on an arms-buying and recruiting binge, which lead to the capture of those american missionaries and others. This week's appeasement will really be ringing the dinner bell for their own bandits. Which is ironic, as the only interest the Phillippine establishment has ever taken in their overseas toilers ("toilet bowl cleaners of the world" as one leftist newspaper over there put it) is in their remmittances.
How come the Red Cross doesn't visit those kidnapped by Zar-cowi to determine if they are being treated according to the Geneva rules? Hmmmmm....;)
Beacause they know that he'd just as soon lop off THEIR infidel, Red Cross heads!
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