The Filipino hostage has been freed, now that the Philippines has agreed to withdraw from Iraq in accord with the Islamic terrorists' wishes. I am glad that this man's life was spared, but how many more will have to die -- in the Philippines, Iraq, and elsewhere -- because the jihadists have now seen again that terror and intimidation work and thus they should continue them? The Philippines and Spain have done the free world a grave disservice.
From AP:
MANILA, Philippines - Insurgents in Iraq freed a Filipino truck driver whom they kidnapped and threatened to behead, the Philippine labor secretary said Saturday....The announcement came just hours after Arroyo's spokesman said the Philippines' small peacekeeping contingent in Iraq would be withdrawn when its tour ends Aug. 20. Dela Cruz's captors had demanded that Manila pull out its tiny 52-strong force within three days, a deadline that was drawing near as word came of the release.
UPDATE: Now, in what is becoming a familiar dance, they are saying that he hasn't been freed after all.
One assumes that the Philippines has factored in the likely cost to its relations with the United States. Those countries that sent troops should receive special attention, and solicitude. And those countries that sent a contingent ("a contingent's a contingent, no matter how small" to quote Dr. Seuss), and that kept that contingent there, deserves even more. The Philippines now falls somewhere in between.
Ah yes.....the poisonious fruits of appeasement.I wonder how the Phillipinos would feel if we had circumvented their island and left them to the devices of the vengeful japanese in the second world war.At this time,American POW's were being routinely murdered via starvation,physical abuse,medical non-treatment(malaria was rampant),some were employed as guinea pigs in sick chemical experiments,and some were....beheaded.How many Filipinos would have perished if we had not made good on our promise to return and liberate the filipino people.But as the little demonic man from the Danube' once said,"how easily the people forget".
The Philippines? Isn´t that the country where the islamic MILF operates.
So they should know better
Appeasement in the form of bribes, back scratching, threats, quiet immoral compromises, is the life blood of Filipino politics. Robert's commentary on the international implications of the decision are well taken, but in the context of domestic decision making and policy, this behavior completely conforms to the norm and should be expected.
Nationally organized violence and resolve is difficult for this culture. Arroyo is probably the best leader the Philippines could hope for in countering these tendencies, but none should be surprised when the Philippines does not measure up...without appropriate 'incentives', of course.
As I understand situation at present moment, is that hostage hasn't been freed and Arroyo's govt.
is keeping their 51 troops in Iraq until end of August. Reckon the new lot just want a fat ransome and a chance to be seen on the news.Or is it an audition for Best Beheading Show by Islamic Ninja Turtles?
It isnt surprising that there is a display of appeasement of the terrorists here. The MILF, and the Abu Sayaf (ASG) group have been trying to establish a separate Islamic state with a caliphate and their own sharia law in the Southern Phillipines on Western Mindaneo for the past 15 years using the usual gentle political persuasion tools called(terrorism)----bombings ,kidnappings,assassinations ,and extortion --Etc.
The areas former Phillipines Senator Aquilino Q. Pimentel who happens to be running for the presidency of the Phillipines just does not seem to get it when it comes to the terrorist groups Abu Sayaf(ASG) and the Moro Islamic liberation front (MILF). He has gone as far as to complain that the (MILF) should not be designated as a terrorist group and that the Phillipine government should try to have a peaceful agreement with this terrorist group.
If Pimento where to win the Phillipines Presidency, then the terrorists will win to . Pimentel has a history of flip flopping on issues and demonstrating an ability to rollover under the threat of these terrorists groups not unlike another presidential candidate that we are all familiar with.
I am reminded that it was in the area of Mindanao that my own father was seriously injured fighting against the Japanese In WW11 and at 86 years of age, he is still dealing with those injuries nearly 60 years later.
Lets hope that the Phillipine stands firm against these Islamic terrorists and does not kow-tow to their demands for a separate Islamic state in the Phillipines.
The Phillipines should concentrate on mopping up the Abu Saryaf and the MILF. Forget negotiations, just defeat them. Everybody but the U.S. and Britian are just window dressing in Iraq anyway.
On the subject of Spain, they recently increased their military presence in Afghanistan by 900 troops. For whatever reasons, the public in Spain was widely opposed to the Iraq occupation and the Madrid bombing had little or nothing to do with their oppinon on the matter.
It was the Conservative government's handling about who was responsible that got them ousted , along with the unpopular occupation of Iraq.
Nostrodamus