Posted on 02/02/2005 8:15:17 PM PST by FeeinTennessee
Former Hostage Has Advice for Memphis Man's Iraqi Captors
02/02/05
Southaven, MS - Thomas Hamill spent 24 days as a hostage in Iraq before he got a lucky break and escaped his captors. Today he told his story here in Southaven where he reminded us American soldiers are still fighting to keep all of us from sharing a similar fate.
And Thomas Hamill wants everyone to know it. Why? because everything these people are working for, is at stake, our very way of life.
That's why he says we must keep fighing terrorism, even though people like him sometimes pay a terrible price.
He readily says his 24 days in captivity were NOT easy.
But he knows there are others still in the hands of evil insurgents.
One thing Hamill tells me he does NOT believe in, is negotiating with terrorists. He says it only creates more hostages. Hamil Says Perhaps the hostages themselves are their own best negotiators.
He says former Memphian Roy Hallums, after three months in the hands of terrorists is probably doing the same thing he did.
"Doin' a lot of watching, these guys coming in, trying to figure out which ones were nice which ones weren't. Hoping if one day something goes down and they execute me one of these guys would take me somwhere and turn me loose maybe." Said Hamill
He has no worldly advice for Hallums, but would gladly do anything to help.
He's optimistic about Iraq and the mid-east. He says the recent elections are a start... but there's still a long way to go. Perhaps, Hamill says, people like him, might get through to even the darkest of hearts.
He says the best thing we can do, is set a good example, indivudually and collectively, to the world. He says despite what governments do and say... it's individual people who make the most important impression and that might help end terrorism as well as tanks and guns.
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