(Honest John) Howard says withdrawal talk fosters hostage-taking

[rooboy]

Prime Minister John Howard has warned that talk of bringing home troops from Iraq could encourage terrorists to take more civilians hostage to pressure coalition forces to leave.

Mr Howard yesterday sent a message of "concern and support" to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi after a group called the Mujahideen Brigade threatened to kill three Japanese civilian hostages unless Japan withdrew its troops from Iraq.

There also were reports last night that two American soldiers and an unknown number of contract workers in Iraq were missing, raising fears they also might have been taken hostage. It is believed two Israeli Arabs, a Canadian and a Briton are being held hostage by various groups.

Mr Howard said there was "certainly an elevated risk" for Australians in Iraq. But he said Australia would not withdraw its 850 troops and support personnel in and around Iraq.

"This is a deliberate tactic. It's designed to break the will of nations, it's designed to force nations to rethink their commitment in Iraq and it's doubly important that the tactic not be allowed to succeed," he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/10/1081326985055.html

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. "Honest" John???

That's cute, really it is???

:crazy:

[anakie]

3. as honest as the day is long

in Alaska, in mid winter. How I hate him.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

5. He actually manages to piss me off more than Tony Blair.

And that's a fairly monumental achievement. As a Canadian it always upsets me to see one of our sister countries represented by such a neo-con throwback. Australia deserves much better than this nasty jerk.

[baby_bear]

2. I guess Howard missed Kristoff's column this morning.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/10/opinion/10KRIS.html

<snip>
American conservatives had a field day after Mr. Zapatero's election, calling Spaniards wimps for reacting to the 3/11 train bombings by electing an antiwar candidate. But on the ground here, it's clear that accusation was deeply unfair.

Mr. Zapatero's last-minute surge of support had nothing to do with Spaniards knuckling under to Al Qaeda. Rather, Spaniards reacted to Prime Minister José María Aznar's dishonesty in blaming Basque terrorists for the bombing.
...
Do Americans really think that Spaniards should have responded to the bombings by staying home apathetically on Election Day?

Accusing Spain of bowing to terrorism has exacerbated the Spanish alienation from the U.S., for this is a country that has lost 900 people to Basque terrorism over the years — and that Al Qaeda recently pledged to turn into "an inferno."
<snip>

I have had a number of arguments with people who are not Bush supporters but who seem to think that "the terrorists won" on the Spanish election outcome. I disagree vehemently, but Kristoff put it better than I have been able to.

I hope his column gets printed in Australian newspapers.

s_m

[Twillig]

4. Well, the people could be killed on the spot.

Instead of being taken hostage.

It sure is hell on these politicians to have reminders that lives have worth beyond that of being statistics to shrug one's shoulders at.

God forbid actions--disastrous actions--be rethought. STOP THINKING.





Waist deep in the Big Muddy...

[leesa]

6. Really. Now why would the "terrorists" who want them out, take hostages

for talking about withdrawal??? Hmmmmm... Sounds like those same irrational "terrorists" who are planting bombs around Spain because Spain is withdrawing troops. You can just never satisy those "terrorists" can you, damned if you do, damned if you don't. Or could it be that other ineterested parties are using hostage taking to arm-twist those countries into keeping their troops in Iraq? Hmmmm...

[daleo]

7. Logically, non-withdrawal talk is what will foster hostage taking

Getting out of Iraq is what will foster non-hostage taking, or hostage non-taking, or just plain no hostages. This is due to two things:
- nobody can take you hostage if you are not there.
- nobody would want to take you hostage if you are not there.

[Matilda]

8. Howard has forgotten the First Rule of Holes ....

when you're in one, stop digging.

He's digging faster and faster, and hopefully he will soon disappear.