5stringJeff
Senior Member
Same terrorists, different tactics. I think we are clearly seeing the terrorist network, run by OBL or some other terrorist mastermind, attempt to break up international support for the War on Terrorism by picking countries off the coalition. To me this says a couple of things:
1. The terrorists think that the US-led coalition is not held by strong bonds. How they got this idea... hmmm.
2. The terrorists have obviously affected the elections in Spain by a well placed terrorist attack. I would imagine they are trying to build up popular discord for a continued US presence in Iraq by a large number of smaller attacks/incidents, making the American public wary of staying the course, and thus voting for the candidate who is unlikely to stay any course against terrorism (Kerry).
3. Japan and the US are going to get a lot closer over this incident, and through Japan's involvement in the GWOT. This is Japan's first military operation since WWII, and they are there because we, their strongest economic ally, are there.
Regardless, kidnapping is despicable, and I hope the perpetrators are found and killed before the hostages are.
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8 Koreans, 3 Japanese Kidnapped in Iraq
By JASON KEYSER, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi insurgents kidnapped eight South Koreans, three Japanese and two Arab Israelis, and captors armed with automatic rifles and swords threatened in a video released Thursday to burn the Japanese alive if Tokyo does not withdraw from the U.S.-led coalition within three days.
Two South Korean TV stations reported from Iraq (news - web sites) early Friday that the South Koreans Christian missionaires had been released, but the Foreign Ministry in Seoul could not confirm that.
In Tokyo, Japan's government said it has no plans to pull out of Iraq because of the kidnapping. It was the first such ultimatum involving foreign civilians taken hostage in Iraq, suggesting a new tactic by militants to pressure governments allied with Washington.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...=/ap/20040408/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_kidnappings
1. The terrorists think that the US-led coalition is not held by strong bonds. How they got this idea... hmmm.
2. The terrorists have obviously affected the elections in Spain by a well placed terrorist attack. I would imagine they are trying to build up popular discord for a continued US presence in Iraq by a large number of smaller attacks/incidents, making the American public wary of staying the course, and thus voting for the candidate who is unlikely to stay any course against terrorism (Kerry).
3. Japan and the US are going to get a lot closer over this incident, and through Japan's involvement in the GWOT. This is Japan's first military operation since WWII, and they are there because we, their strongest economic ally, are there.
Regardless, kidnapping is despicable, and I hope the perpetrators are found and killed before the hostages are.
-------------------------
8 Koreans, 3 Japanese Kidnapped in Iraq
By JASON KEYSER, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi insurgents kidnapped eight South Koreans, three Japanese and two Arab Israelis, and captors armed with automatic rifles and swords threatened in a video released Thursday to burn the Japanese alive if Tokyo does not withdraw from the U.S.-led coalition within three days.
Two South Korean TV stations reported from Iraq (news - web sites) early Friday that the South Koreans Christian missionaires had been released, but the Foreign Ministry in Seoul could not confirm that.
In Tokyo, Japan's government said it has no plans to pull out of Iraq because of the kidnapping. It was the first such ultimatum involving foreign civilians taken hostage in Iraq, suggesting a new tactic by militants to pressure governments allied with Washington.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...=/ap/20040408/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_kidnappings
