They're leaving, but not as fast as the terrorists want them to. It's appeasement, but with a stern face. From AP:
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippines — still hoping a kidnapped Filipino trucker driver will be released — rejected demands Sunday of the hostage takers for an early troop withdrawal from Iraq. The group that snatched Angelo dela Cruz, 46, near the restive city Fallujah on Wednesday gave Manila until 3 p.m. EDT to advance its pullout by a month to July 20."In line with our commitment to the free people of Iraq, we reiterate our plan to return our humanitarian contingent as scheduled on Aug. 20, 2004," Foreign Secretary Delia Albert told reporters after an emergency Cabinet meeting on the hostage crisis.
Albert said negotiations for dela Cruz's release were continuing through "formal and informal channels," adding: "We are hopeful that with the continued support and prayers of the people, we will hurdle this crisis."
Government officials said Saturday that dela Cruz had been released, but the news was quickly denied by the militants in a message broadcast by Al-Jazeera television, in which the captors gave the Philippine government 24 hours to respond to their demand for a July 20 pullout. On Saturday, Philippine authorities announced troops would leave by Aug. 20 as planned.
There are 51 Filipino soldiers and police on a humanitarian mission in central Iraq.
The Islamic Army of Iraq-Khalid bin al-Waleed Brigade said dela Cruz would "be treated as a prisoner of war, in accordance with Islamic precepts" until the deadline expired.
Folks:
The gloves are off at the Telegraph in Britain. I urge all of you to write a letter to the Telegraph in support of Will Cummins. Also, send the most thoughtful letter to the editor that you can muster criticizing Islam. They just published a letter comparing Muhammad to the Anti-christ. That means they are going to publish just about anything.
Write a letter. I urge you. I implore you!
Mentat:
Please post that letter over here at JW.
Thanks.
Look at this letter to the editor that the Telegraph published (unbelievable!):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml;sessionid=HMQZRCXQYQA5DQFIQMGSM5OAVCBQWJVC?view=HOME&grid=P18&menuId=-1&menuItemId=-1&_requestid=80581
Re: Mohammed is the Anti-Christ
Date: 11 July 2004
Thank you for the courage you have shown in publishing the excellent article by Will Cummins - who is not bereft of courage himself. He has shone the light of wisdom and truth into a dark region where the less stout-hearted fear to gaze.
To deny the validity of Islam is to invite the attention of murderous fanatics, as it has been for the last 1,400 years, and also to incur the wrath of the establishment that has neither the wisdom to recognise the truth, nor the guts to speak out.
Mohammed is not merely a false prophet, he is the Anti-Christ. Jesus stood between the fallen woman and the lynch-mob, whereas Mohammed would have been the first to cast a stone. Jesus allowed his enemies to kill him. Mohammed had his critics assassinated. The God of Jesus loves the sinner, even the unbeliever, but Allah hates the transgressor.
We must not allow the likes of Dr Rowan Williams to fool us. Allah is not God. The two are not the same. Islam does not recognise the concept of universal love, as do all the great religions of the world.
From:
Robert Baehr, Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset
KC,
Mentat has given us an open-goal to shoot at, the question is me or you?