French Hostages Freed in Iraq.........But Why?

After four months in captivity, two French journalists were finally let go on Tuesday. But why? Also, a new survey shows that the British like to booze over the holidays, and yet another scandal hits Germany's beleaguered opposition party.

A pair of French journalists held hostage in Iraq since August 20 were finally freed by their captors on Tuesday and are scheduled to arrive back home in France on Wednesday afternoon. Christian Chesnot of Radio France International and Georges Malbrunot of the daily Le Figaro spent four months in the hands of a group calling itself the Islamic Army of Iraq, and their release comes as a welcome relief following a series of brutal beheadings and slayings of hostages ranging from American contractors to Margaret Hassan, the British-Iraqi leader of the national branch of CARE.

But why did the terror group spare two journalists while others have been so violently and graphically murdered?

SPIEGEL'S DAILY TAKE

French Hostages Freed in Iraq

After four months in captivity, two French journalists were finally let go on Tuesday. But why? Also, a new survey shows that the British like to booze over the holidays, and yet another scandal hits Germany's beleaguered opposition party.

French Journalists Freed

AFP
Two French journalists, Georges Malbrunot (top) and Christian Chesnot (bottom), were released on Tuesday following four months of captivity.
A pair of French journalists held hostage in Iraq since August 20 were finally freed by their captors on Tuesday and are scheduled to arrive back home in France on Wednesday afternoon. Christian Chesnot of Radio France International and Georges Malbrunot of the daily Le Figaro spent four months in the hands of a group calling itself the Islamic Army of Iraq, and their release comes as a welcome relief following a series of brutal beheadings and slayings of hostages ranging from American contractors to Margaret Hassan, the British-Iraqi leader of the national branch of CARE.

But why did the terror group spare two journalists while others have been so violently and graphically murdered? The Arab television station Al-Jazeera reports having received a statement from the kidnappers claiming that the two were let go after it was proven that they were not American spies. Makes perfect sense, right? With 130,000 American troops in the country -- and who knows how many CIA agents as well -- it would be a natural decision for the US military to dispatch two Frenchies dressed as journalists in a car to go spy for them. Maybe terrorists do think all journalists are spies, but it still doesn't feel like a likely explanation.

A second explanation, offered by Francois Gere, head of the French Institute of Strategic Analysis, likewise doesn't sound quite right. Terrorists of the ilk seen in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East are unlikely to provide preferential treatment for the victims on the basis of their profession -- Hassan, after all, served as an aid worker helping Iraqis for the better part of four decades.

The statement sent to Al-Jazeera also claimed that the French government's opposition to the war in Iraq played a role in the hostage's release. Could it be that a government's decision to oppose the invasion of a Muslim country helps protect its citizens more than aggressively rushing after unpredictable dictators? The answer is to be found in another question. That's about like asking if the hostages would have been released if they had been American.

The most likely explanation, however, is also the easiest: There was likely money involved. After all, buying those explosives for car bombs isn't free, and keeping hostages fed long enough to shoot torture videos of them ain't cheap. Besides, terrorists aren't generally known for their sophisticated political analysis. (2:02 p.m. CET)

Tis the Season to Get Plastered

While others dream of sugar plums, the British think of beer.

Think tanks are a great thing. What would we do without them? For example, the Policy Exchange from England has done a survey to determine how citizens in G7 countries (USA, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada) change their habits during the Christmas season. Here, some highlights:

* In December, Britons drink 41 percent more than their monthly average. In the United States, the jump is only 28 percent. Germans get 36 percent drunker.

* In Germany, the murder rate rises by 6.4 percent leading up to Christmas. (Something to keep in mind about murders in Germany: Because guns are illegal, kitchen knives are the weapon of choice.)

* Church attendance spikes in all G7 countries with Germany leading the way. 240 percent more church goers show up than in other months. In the United States the rise is a modest 112 percent but Americans' church-going rate, at over 50 percent of the population, is higher than all other G7 countries.

* Americans also spend more money for Christmas than any other G7 country. The average holiday bill in the US is €1,958 ($2,615). England isn't far behind at €1,548 ($2,068) with the Italians bringing up the rear with a binge of just €1,000 ($1,340). (12:07 p.m. CET)

Gaz Problems

AFP
Yugnaskneftegaz was sold to Surgutneftegaz. What?
Can anyone hope to keep track of the companies involved in the Yukos sale? We should try, given that it appears that it seems that old "Glad I'm Here" Putin has used the auction of Yugnaskneftegaz, Yukos' oil-producing arm, to help consolidate state control of Russia's oil. Say what? That's right, Putin yesterday gave support to the sale, and made eerie hints that the individuals who bought Yugansk have been in the energy business a long time and that they probably have plans to share the precious resource with other firms. How does Putin know so much? The identity behind Baikal Finance Group, who won the bid, would appear to be Vladimir Bogdanov, Russia's 13th richest man, whose nickname is "the Hermit of Siberia" (really), who ran Putin's campaign in the west of Russia, and -- oh yeah -- who is also the general director of Surgutneftegaz, Russia's fourth largest oil company. Quelle Surprise!

It's not official that Bogdanov is behind Baikal, but the market gave a strong hint by sending Surgutneftegaz's stocks soaring. And the Russian business paper Vedomosti, said the two Baikal representatives who appeared at the auction work for Surgutneftegaz. The common wisdom has been that Yugansk would go to Gazprom, a state-controlled company, but everyone seems to agree that no matter what the final outcome, the Kremlin will end up with a lot of control over Russia's oil.

US President George W. Bush, meanwhile, is apparently upset about the sale, and a White House spokesman said the auction could have a "chilling effect" on foreign investment in Russia. Could it be that Bush just dreads having to talk to Putin about it when they meet in February, given the ridiculous names of the companies involved? Gazprom, Yuganskneftegaz, Surgutneftegaz, Purneftegaz. They don't exactly roll off the tongue. We shouldn't underestimate him, but somehow our guess is that he'll just say "you know, that one company." (11:20 a.m. CET)

With Enemies Like That, Who Needs Friends?

ROOTERS
Laurenz Meyer of the German opposition party CDU resigned amid scandal on Wednesday.

Germany's main opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), had looked like it had left its troubles behind. After months of intra-camp bickering, often with its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), the party re-elected Angela Merkel to its leadership position and set aside a number of prickly disagreements that had been making headlines all summer. The party's popularity ratings even went up by a few points for the first time in months.

Now, however, a new scandal is rocking the party. The party's general secretary and CDU member of parliament Laurenz Meyer resigned on Wednesday amid outrage at payments he received from his former employer -- RWE, Germany's largest electricity provider. At issue is a combined payoff of DM 250,000 ($171,000) Meyer received from RWE in 1999 and 2000. Originally described as a severance bonus paid out when Meyer took a position with the CDU, Meyer actually continued working for the company for several months. Of course, he kept the money.

The story broke over the weekend and, despite days of hemming and hawing, Merkel finally realized on Wednesday that Meyer had to go. He is the fourth leading CDU politician to resign in recent weeks. Before him, Hermann-Josef Arentz stepped down on Dec. 8 for continuing to receive a salary of €60,000 from his former employer (surprise, surprise -- RWE) on top of his lawmaker wages. Two others quit in the fall due to political differences with the direction of the party. (10:30 a.m. CET)

Censoring Santa

DPA

Santa Claus needs to hire an image consultant in Germany.
Aaaahhhh the holiday season in Germany. Glittering Christmas markets, tasty mulled wine, rich, fabulously delicious ginger bread -- and of course, hoards of people frantically racing around town grabbing up last-second Christmas gifts. Tis the season after all -- the season of love and the season of, well, rampant consumerism.

That, at least, is how one group, the Frankfurter Nicholas Initiative sees things. And they think they know who is to blame: Santa Claus. The Frankfurt am Main-based group isn't just sitting around pointing fingers either. For the third year in a row, they are passing out round stickers depicting poor Santa's merry dimples, rosy cheeks and cherry-like nose -- with a fat red line slashing right through the middle of it. Santa Free Zone the stickers proclaim.

"Santa is a symbol of consumerism and commerce," says initiative spokesman Helmut Zimmerman. "The Santa Claus free zones are an attempt to refocus attention on the real tradition of Christmas." Namely: Saint Nicholas.

The idea seems to be taking off this year. In the eastern Austrian town of St. Wolfgang, Santa is persona non grata at the town's Christmas market this year. "Santa Claus is not a typical Christmas tradition neither in Germany nor Austria," said St. Wolfgang tourism manager in Hans Wieser. "This red-suited man only turned up over the last decade or so." Maybe, he is hoping, Santa will leave. (6:30 p.m. CET)

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