Article

2006-05-10 Europe

Germans figure out Downside of Ransom Cave

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Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-05-10 11:20|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 $5 million?!?! Holy crap. Any german want to get kidnapped? I'll split the money with you after!

Posted by DarthVader 2006-05-10 12:30|| 2006-05-10 12:30|| Front Page Top

#2 Next time a meet a German I will kidnap them. WARNING! If you are German, stay out of Minnesota.
Now that I think about it, this may be a great way for the U.S. to get some funding for the WoT.

Posted by Mike N. 2006-05-10 16:29|| 2006-05-10 16:29|| Front Page Top

#3 What is Germany (or any other EU country) going to do when the ransom asked exceeds what they are willing to pay? Eventually the demands will reach a point where Germany cannot or will not pay.

If they paid $5,000,000 for Susan Osthoff, and "much more" for the two engineers, the next kidnap victime will cost $20,000,000 or more. If the Germans pay that, the next victim will cost $50,000,000. If they keep paying, eventually there will be a kidnap victim which could cost more than the annual GDP for the country ($2.45 trillion). Somewhere before that, Germany will have to either let the hostages die, or go bankrupt.

People can say that you can't put a value on a human life, but that isn't true. I don't know what the value is, but eventually Germany (and any other country) will reach a point where they are unwilling to pay.

Posted by Rambler">Rambler 2006-05-10 16:41|| 2006-05-10 16:41|| Front Page Top

#4 And a point when they are unwilling to let their citizens out of the country. It will certainly become too expensive for them to participate in the coalition of the willing. Auf Wiedersehen, Al-Emagne

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2006-05-10 16:44|| 2006-05-10 16:44|| Front Page Top

#5 They'll have to offer layaway.

Posted by Jomotle Phirt1354 2006-05-10 16:48|| 2006-05-10 16:48|| Front Page Top

#6 They can all stay home for all I care. They are more a member of a coalition of the sometimes says the right things than a coalition of the willing anyway.

Posted by Mike N. 2006-05-10 16:48|| 2006-05-10 16:48|| Front Page Top

#7 They'll have to offer layaway.

Ha ha ha! LOL! hee hee

Posted by 6 2006-05-10 17:52|| 2006-05-10 17:52|| Front Page Top

#8 Security officials are especially concerned that the affair could now mean that every German carries a price tag,

Seriously, it took you this long to figure this out?

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-05-10 21:01|| 2006-05-10 21:01|| Front Page Top

#9 The best ransom is what Russia paid once.

After some US hostages were taken in Lebanon, the bad boyz decided they would take some Russian hostages.

The Russians counter-kidnapped the bad boyz Imam, then FedEx'ed a body part or two to the kidnappers, who were then so anxious to return the Russian hostages that they drove them to the Russian embassy.

Every now and then, the Russians get it right.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-05-10 21:36|| 2006-05-10 21:36|| Front Page Top

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