Negotiate concessions to the jihadists, or else. By Felix Lowe in the Telegraph (thanks to Darcy):
Alan Johnston has been forced to wear an explosives vest which his captors will blow up if an attempt is made to rescue him, according to a new video released of the BBC journalist.In the video Mr Johnston, captured more than 100 days ago in Gaza, urges the British government and the Hamas movement to return to negotiations to secure his release from captivity, rather than press for a military solution.
Wearing a bomb belt of the type used by Palestinian suicide bombers, he says: "Captors tell me that very promising negotiations were ruined when the Hamas movement and the British government decided to press for a military solution to this kidnapping and the situation is now very serious."
In the poor-quality video, Mr Johnston continues: "As you can see, I have been dressed in what is an explosive belt, which the kidnappers say will be detonated if there is an attempt to storm the area.
"They say they are ready to turn the hide-out into what they describe as a death zone if there is an attempt to free me by force.
"I do appeal to the Hamas movement and the British government not, not to resort to the tactics of force in an effort to end this.
"I would ask the BBC and anyone in Britain who wishes me well to support me in that appeal. It seems the answer is to return to negotiations, which I am told are very close to achieving a deal."
...making prisoners wear suicide belts sure beats making them wear panties on their head...
One wonders if Johnston, such an enthusiast for the "Palestinians" before, will if released continue to be their firm supporter. I think he will. I think he will remain impervious to reality and common sense, and offer up merely a slightly-diluted version of the mixture as before.
let's hear it for another shining example of how peaceful Islam is.
Anybody else getting tired of hearing journalists grovel? Where's Edward R. Murrow when you need him?
I'm just tired of all of this...and I agree with Hugh. If Johnston's released, chances are he'd behave like any other 'typical' apologist & claim these guys were the 'exception.'
Hogwash, I say. Every day confirms my opinion of the religion, people, and motives. I don't need anyone to tell me what my opinion 'should' be.
This is the possible end result for us all, whether we're apologists or not, unless we fight it - tooth & nail.
It's hard to feel sorry for Johnston who's a dhimmi and an apologist for Palestinian terror.If Johnston had been working and reporting from Israel he'd be free today rather then being a hostage wearing his own custom made suicide bomb vest.That distinction is lost on the left wing media.
What Johnston really needs to do is grow some cajones, make his peace with the Almighty and then when all the little ninja cowards are in the room, pull the cord and blow everybody to smithereens. He would be laying down his life for others, which is a good thing, and he would be removing some of the shame that the groveling creates. He might start a trend, too, that would make the jihadi cowards think twice. You never know when the infidel kafir might not respond the way you expected them to. If kafir started blowing up their captors and kept it up they wouldn't have that element of terrorist control over the masses. As dumb as they are, they might even learn, like a child learns not to touch a hot stove because it hurts, that putting a bomb belt on a captive with a patriotic streak might end up with bomb belt going boom, all good jihadis going bye-bye! The only problem is, where are we going to get any patriotic journalists?
Baghdad Pete, Jilbab Jill, The Amazing Reversions of Centanni & Wiig . . . what to call Mr. Johnston? I like "Boomer."
I think the term "patriotic journalists" is borderline oxymoronic these days. They are few and far between. They side with the enemy at every turn, and stab our soldiers in the back whenever possible.
I agree with your solution to the problem, but it'll never happen. This guy doens't have the cajones you'd find on a flea.
Isabellathecrusader makes a very good, valid point, above;
For what will Mr. Johnston do if he's released-- go back to reporting on Islamists' radical rants?
Or will he even have the backbone to stay in Gaza?
This guy should grow some, realize where he is and what he is now, and IF that belt is real and deadly, push that button, pull that cord. Make a real statement aimed at these nutwads as to Western resistance.
The Robert Fisk syndrome:
They're beating the crap out of me, but it is not their fault - if I were them I would be doing the same thing to me.
Deranged - these reporters and journalists are deranged
"Deranged" might be a good word. Insane? Totally insane? Is that better? That's the way I view these people when I read what they write.
I mean...you look at what's reported, the way it's slanted towards favoring an enemy who are NOTHING but a pack of cold-blooded killers, and if you try to make sense of it all the gears in your brain just lock up!
This isn't the first time such things have happened. There were/are PLENTY of journalists who apologized for the criminal acts of the Soviet Union and the Chi-Com's, too. Just a bunch of damned traitors.
I got an idea. How about we skip negotations and military force and everything else and just write Boomer off? Sure would save a lot of hassle.
Do we even want him back?
Don't negotiate with terrorists, that's it. And maybe, just maybe, if Alan Johnston is given more time in the front row of Paliwood theatre, he might actually learn something.
He's a poor pupil about the causes of Jihad (Mohammad, Koran, etc.), so I think he needs more time to study.
Npabga's on to something. We should make "The Ransom of Red Chief" assigned reading for every diplomat and negotiator on the team.
I was going to say what Isabellathecrusader said, but thought others would think I'd gone just a little too far this time...
So, for beating me to it...Amen, Sister! Go out like the Italian contractor last year, who yanked off his hood & dared them to execute him to his face. They did, but you don't see his video on the Internet anywhere.
I say do NOT negotiate for this journo creep. Maybe then the rest of these Beeb Dweebs will stop going to Gaza and other places where they sympathize with our enemies.
These journos are indirectly responsible for getting a lot of the "good guys" killed so why should we care what happens to them?
Isabellathecrusader,
Interesting suggestion, but does a person in that situation even have the capability to set off the vest? If they're threatening to blow him up from afar (even if it's just a dozen feet) does that mean the detonating device is out of his reach?
Could he blow himself up if he wanted to?
"..he will remain impervious to reality...", I also think that will be the unfortunate truth, Hugh.
And the plea to continue with the negotiations...means continuing to up the monetary fee for his release -- how many more millions to his terrorist friends, I wonder? Like the mafia...kidnapping and extortion. And the "victim" will probably come out as an even more ardent supporter...(Stockholm syndrome).
Why am having this not-so-funny feeling that Alan Johnston might have actually volunteered himself up for this mission?
"We should make 'The Ransom of Red Chief' assigned reading for every diplomat and negotiator on the team."
-- from a posting above
Reading would prove too tedious for some of them, now able only to read bullet-riddled memoranda prepared by aides. Better to show them the short movie made from the O'Henry story, the cast of which includes the inimitable Robert Benchley.
When I sent this to Mr. Spencer this morning I had no idea who Alan Johnston was - I only read a guy with an expolsives belt.
OK, so now I know he's a journalist and a Dhimmi Muslim Apologist.
I think he's probably changing his beliefs right about now...
Amazing how stupid some people are, whether journalist or not, concerning Muslims.
Excuse me, explosives belt. typo.
I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
The fact that the guy has been playing with Tigers and got bit means nothing to his family who have to see him wearing that vest. They are obviously more than aware of what happens to many people in his situation.
Where is your humanity? Without it you’re no better than they are.
Uh, Mert - our "humanity" is here. No problemo. But, that doesn't stop people from waxing realistically about what got him in this situation.
Of course no one wants to see that barbaric belt blow up, so cool your jets. In fact, JW'ers are the most humane people you will find...that's why we hate Islam - it's inhumane. Capische?
Bollocks Darcy,
Waxing realistically about what got him into that situation does nothing for his mother and father.
Banging on about why he deserves it does nothing for the Jihad watch reputation.
I'm not supporting his views, but I do support his right to live, that is what makes me different from them.
Nobody who posts here can accuse me of sympathy with the devil. I just want people to remember that he isn't a thing, he has family.
I'm not losing any sleep over the fate of Alan Johnston.The Palestinians he has supported have used the same suicide bomb vests he is now being forced to wear to kill Israeli men, women and children. Those Israelis like Johnston had families.That did not stop Johnston from supporting the Palestinians even as they openly celebrated Israeli deaths. Where was Johnston's humanity then?
Fair enough, if you believe people should be tortured, terrorized and murdered because they don’t agree with you then you’ve set your stall out.
Personally I hope anybody in fear of their life is given some sympathy.
Let's see...there's Shakespeare's Hamlet -- "to be hoist by one's own petard..."
There are also innumerable references to laying snares, then the evil one being entrapped by them. Please, if you run around expressing sympathy for terrorist murderers, then you happen to be caught and victimized by said terrorists...well, too bad if the whole world isn't weeping on your behalf. And, don't fret, it's practically guaranteed that "the world" will be squandering zillions in ransom to gain Johnston's release.
Mert said
Tortured, terrorized, and murdered by whom? Not JW/DW posters.
The "Palestinians" are doing the torturing, terrorizing, and murdering, but we JW posters are the ones who deserve blame and scolding, because we're not sufficiently brokenhearted when they eat their own, tartare. Uh, right.
Mert,
As a human being I do feel sorry for the guy. My suggestion was partially tongue in cheek but partially very serious. What's it going to take to get these assholes to stop kidnapping people, threatening them with death and then destroying them? It is precisely because individual people are valuable that I brought this up. Of course Alan Johnston has a family who are probably suffering terribly right now. But did he think about them when he chose to do the assignment? Why are we here all bad and wrong for trying to find an answer to the problem of idiots who have no respect for human life going around killing people? Should Johnston get a free pass and have the responsibility that rests squarely on his shoulders for agreeing to go taken away so that another government and another set of several million people can be held hostage by the animals that continue to commit these crimes against humanity? Are we going to give our culture and our countries and our children to these low life bastards because people who don't want to listen to how dangerous it is keep going over there and keep getting caught? The definition of insanity, again, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. We know these guys are used as pawns and we know that some of them have collaborative views. Should we just make nice-nice and hope everything turns out okay?
If you find my solution offensive, good, because you should. But when we are dealing with people that have no respect for human life and who go to great lengths to make destroying a person as painful and despicable as possible, then all bets are off and we've got to start thinking about how to destroy that ideology and not be afraid to destroy the people who insist on shoving that ideology down our throats. And if there are those who collaborate and get caught in the middle of doing so and something happens to them, so be it. Benedict Arnold had a mother, too.
I don't know if Johnston is collaborating, and he's probably scared out of his wits, but I do know he does his country no good by begging for negotiations to save his skin. We all know what we get when we negotiate with these guys, a virtual guarantee that there will be more kidnappings, more hostages, more demands and more slaughtering.He knew that when he got on the plane to go over there. I'm sure he thought it would never happen to him.
We're not the bastards here. We are in a fight for our lives and everything we hold dear. The Jihadists tell us everyday that they are coming to destroy us and unlike so many people we live with, I believe them and take them at their word. I have no need to doubt them because they offer fresh evidence of their intent daily. Time to focus on the real problem and come up with real solutions, or you'll soon be witnessing this in your own backyard and wondering how it got this far.
Mert,
As a human being I do feel sorry for the guy. My suggestion was partially tongue in cheek but partially very serious. What's it going to take to get these assholes to stop kidnapping people, threatening them with death and then destroying them? It is precisely because individual people are valuable that I brought this up. Of course Alan Johnston has a family who are probably suffering terribly right now. But did he think about them when he chose to do the assignment? Why are we here all bad and wrong for trying to find an answer to the problem of idiots who have no respect for human life going around killing people? Should Johnston get a free pass and have the responsibility that rests squarely on his shoulders for agreeing to go taken away so that another government and another set of several million people can be held hostage by the animals that continue to commit these crimes against humanity? Are we going to give our culture and our countries and our children to these low life bastards because people who don't want to listen to how dangerous it is keep going over there and keep getting caught? The definition of insanity, again, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. We know these guys are used as pawns and we know that some of them have collaborative views. Should we just make nice-nice and hope everything turns out okay?
If you find my solution offensive, good, because you should. But when we are dealing with people that have no respect for human life and who go to great lengths to make destroying a person as painful and despicable as possible, then all bets are off and we've got to start thinking about how to destroy that ideology and not be afraid to destroy the people who insist on shoving that ideology down our throats. And if there are those who collaborate and get caught in the middle of doing so and something happens to them, so be it. Benedict Arnold had a mother, too.
I don't know if Johnston is collaborating, and he's probably scared out of his wits, but I do know he does his country no good by begging for negotiations to save his skin. We all know what we get when we negotiate with these guys, a virtual guarantee that there will be more kidnappings, more hostages, more demands and more slaughtering.He knew that when he got on the plane to go over there. I'm sure he thought it would never happen to him.
We are not the bastards here. We are in a fight for our lives and everything we hold dear. The Jihadists tell us everyday that they are coming to destroy us and unlike so many people we live with, I believe them and take them at their word. I have no need to doubt them because they offer fresh evidence of their intent daily. Time to focus on the real problem and come up with real solutions, or you'll soon be witnessing this in your own backyard and wondering how it got this far.
Mert,
You support Alan Johnston's right to live and so do we. His captors do NOT. They're the ones who rigged him with explosives. The fact that they are making threats suggests they are the ones with the power to decide if and when it goes off and that Mr. Johnston is not the one who will push the button. They say they're going to make the area a death zone. Where is THEIR humanity?
Whether he's a willing collaborator or not, he will cause the deaths of many innocents if that bomb is set off and NONE of them will be among the people who made and distributed that video.
Whom would you give the last word to - HAMAS?
They're holding him in violation of the law. They run the government and they kidnapped him. How do you negotiate? It's nothing but extortion.
The only alternative is to write him off as a casualty of war.
Isabellathecrusader,
I don't blame this man for taking this assignment. Members of the press usually get more leeway when traveling in these areas. Even governments want them in there reporting to the outside world what is going on.
Now that the rules of civilized conduct have changed, the answer might be for all journalists to understand BEFORE they go to a country where terrorists operate freely that they are on their own.
If the people in those areas want their story to get out they will make the commitment to protect the members of the press who perform this service.
Otherwise the people will be ignored by the media.
It's not about blame. It just is what it is. If someone chooses to go over there they may be kidnapped, used as a pawn and murdered. That is something everyone who plans to go over there has to think about. The Muslim scum know that as a people we are compassionate and will become very uncomfortable if they endanger the lives of one of us. That is the beauty of it for them. They don't give a flying flip about ANYONE in their stratosphere which gives them an advantage over those of us who do. That's why we have to start thinking differently about how we approach them in order to win.
About a year ago there was a guy who posted here a letter that his son who was over in Iraq sent him and it talked about what was going on from the soldiers' points of view. He said that all the U.S. servicemen know that they have to fight to the death because they cannot be taken alive because of what would happen to them if they were. Journalists seem to have a level of naivete surrounding themselves that is truly astonishing. They think that the Muslim aggressors are somehow going to cut them a break if they are captured or are not going to kidnap them because they are journalists. I don't know if they are all smoking the same crack pipe or what, but if journalists are over there and see what the Muslim aggressors do to their own people, why would they think they would have any respect or be in awe of a western reporter?
Daniel Pearl was murdered five years ago. Has anything regarding our getting along with the Muslim aggressors improved in that time period? No, not a thing. And as long as we keep sending over fresh sacrifices for the slaughtering machine and paying them not to do what we know they do, they have absolutely no motivation to stop doing those things. And those who know this and choose to go over there anyway have to bear the brunt of the responsibility of their decisions.
Where is Amnesty International, the MSM and all those other groups who decried the way we "torture" prisoners and the like? I guess it is okay to say the US tortures when in reality it was "torment", and it is OK to be silent when real torture is employed, or at least "torment" well above the scale we saw at Abu Grab!
No I'm not sorry for this creep.
Johnston is not only an apologist, he is a propagandist, that makes him an enemy agent. In fact, he is so much an enemy agent that we can't be sure of whether he is really kidnapped or on a publicity-stunt for the Pali-cause.
Have we all forgotten the egregious Segrena?
It was a secret service agent who paid with his life, but did she change her tune? Not at all, in fact her agit prop against the US was even worse afterwards than it was before.
These people are traitors. Stop feeling sorry for them!
Anybody know what's up with Alan Johnstone today? Have the Barbarians still got the belt/vest on him?
Isabella thanks for your reply. I never said that I agree with the guy or what he promotes. But I am not prepared to smile if he goes the way of Ken Bigley because my dad is in Iraq and rather than having the armchair generals view I know what having family out there means.
My kid brother was there when Balad was “Mortarhitaville”. He spent a week at Baghdad airport 100 yards away from Saddam and had to endure the nutters dropping ordinance in trying to break Saddam out.
I know what having family in the face of these nutters means. I myself have not been over there because I gave up work to look after my real dad in 2004. I got a Divisional Coin for preparing 1ST ID HHC from Wurzberg though.
I see what happens to contractors and I immediately think of dad. Just like his family are thinking of him.
To wish the guy ill harm is frankly sadistic and belongs with the other camp, not ours.
Mert,
I totally understand. My daughter's boyfriend, a Marine, just got back from nine months in Iraq. Believe me, I prayed for him every day that he was over there, as I now pray for Alan Johnston.
I do not wish Alan Johnston any harm. I just think that the journalists who go over to Iraq would have a lot more sympathy and people would worry about them more if they actually appeared to be on our side. Imagine how irksome it is to know that my prospective son-in-law is over in harm's way while journalists put their spin on what's going on with a devil-may-care attitude. In my opinion that is frankly sadistic, too.