Thursday, March 23, 2006

Great News

Peace group hostages freed in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. and British forces have freed three Christian aid workers held hostage in Iraq, ending a four-month ordeal in which an American captive was found dead on a Baghdad street.

No shots were fired and no captors were present when the hostages -- Briton Norman Kember, 74 and Canadians James Loney, 41, and Harmeet Singh Sooden, 32 -- were freed early Thursday, officials said.


I would have liked to post without comment, but you know this is going to ruffle the usual chickhawk feathers:

Christian Peacemaker Teams posted a statement on its Web site expressing joy in the hostages' release but also criticizing the U.S.-led operation in Iraq.

"We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq," the statement said. "The occupation must end.

"Harmeet, Jim and Norman and Tom were in Iraq to learn of the struggles facing the people in that country. They went, motivated by a passion for justice and peace to live out a nonviolent alternative in a nation wracked by armed conflict.


LGF hasn't mentioned this yet, he's still too busy reporting on the Danish Cartoon controversy (yes, still).

Michelle Malkin didn't waste any time before showing her indignance over the hostages beliefs. Er, well at least copying and pasting the indignance of one of her readers.

Not once do they thank or even reference the fact that a Special Forces team rescued these guys. In fact, the only reference to military at all is blaming them for the kidnapping in the first place. Nice!

Also on their home page is a long statement about how terribly treated terrorists are when detained by evil soldiers.


While I agree that the soldiers did a great thing by finding these guys, the fact is that this is another example of right wing jackasses trying to wash their hands of any responsibility for the cluster-fuck they helped to create.

I'm sure the Pentagon is pissed because the story reports that there were no captors present and no shots fired which means they can't spin this into some epic, Jessica Lynch style struggle for freedom. Combined with the lack of hero worship for their brave rescuers I can't see this getting much attention at all other than giving troglodytes like Michelle something else to get churlish about.

The good news is that these brave men, and yes right wing fucks, going into a war zone unarmed to help the people being brutally invaded (not liberated) is brave (see also Marla Ruzicka), are free to continue their work.

2 comments:

Smartypants said...

I have to congratulate you for being able to read anything Michelle writes. She annoys me so much I avoid her.

And I despise her even more for that b/c it makes me feel like a bit of a coward.

CNK said...

oh i know it's brutal at times but really if you want to really get your stomach turned you have to read debbie schlussel or charles johnson - after them malkin is a pussycat.

wtf is up with my caps/ lol