Article

2004-08-04 Iraq-Jordan

What could break the hostage-taking cycle

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Posted by tipper 2004-08-04 14:22|| || Front Page|| [9 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I do not think this article fully addresses the reasons why the kidnappings are continuing. The author neglects some vital issues and dresses up others with wishful thinking.

Just as the Saudis turned tough when their own civilians were targeted in bombings, Iraqis would be expected to take more than a passing interest in kidnappings if they hit their own people, some experts say.

The only problem being that the Saudis have not "turned tough" in the face of internal violence against Saudi citizens. The level of collaboration with terrorist elements by Saudi security has made them an international laughing stock.

The Iraqis have yet to make any substantial hue and cry about how many of their fellow citizens are routinely being blown to bits by the insurgents. Far too many Iraqis refuse to accept that America is not the Great Satan and therefore regard all who oppose Iraq's liberators as heroes. This is the issue's core.

"But if they start to kidnap Iraqis, then I think we could see things turn quickly - just as some of their other attacks on Iraqis are starting to backfire."

Until there is massive retaliation by citizens, in the form of exposing perpetrators and reporting of clandestine activities, nothing being done by the insurgents will "backfire."

"The fact is that the Iraqi people really didn't mind too much when Americans were the ones dying in these kinds of incidents," he says, referring to the gruesome burnings and beheading of American contract workers earlier this year. "But just as we saw the Saudi people react when attacks were suddenly being perpetrated against their own people, I think we'd see the same reaction from Iraqis."

Once more: No extreme reaction to the bombings equals no extreme reaction to kidnapping of Iraqis.

They note that bombers and kidnappers have shown no willingness to shy away from particular nationalities or religious populations.

That is because a significant portion of the insurgents are not Iraqi. They have zero compunctions about attacking any targets of opportunity. Until the influx of foreign fighters is somehow interdicted, nothing much is going to change. Military actions against offending neighbor countries who are purposefully recruiting and arming these insurgents probably will be required in the absence of action by the Iraqis themselves.

As radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said in a sermon last Friday condemning the Saudi proposal, "Even if they are Islamic and friendly, if they come to Iraq that means they are cooperating with the occupiers. Thus they will be considered occupiers, too."

And it is precisely this sort of mentality that drives this entire problem. Sadr perfectly embodies the thankless anti-American mentality that quite simply needs its @ss kicked into submission. No amount of persuasion or enticement will alter this caustic mindset. A solid beatdown is needed to demonstrate the undesirable ramifications of maintaining such hostile attitudes.

Posted by Zenster 2004-08-04 3:42:50 PM|| 2004-08-04 3:42:50 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 What could break the hostage-taking cycle

A rain of death on terrorists and their supporters.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2004-08-04 4:16:49 PM|| 2004-08-04 4:16:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 The kidnappings are the same as Saddam's use of SCUDs in 1991. Nothing else seems to be working and this gets a lot of press - it won't stop until they're dead.

Posted by Anonymous5991 2004-08-04 4:30:25 PM|| 2004-08-04 4:30:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 In many case hostage-taking is accompanied by demands for jailed terrorists to be released. Terrorists should be executed soon after sentencing.

Posted by Super Hose 2004-08-04 10:53:35 PM|| 2004-08-04 10:53:35 PM|| Front Page Top

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