Italy Swapped 5 Jailed Taliban for a Hostage

TroyMcClure · 03-22-2007, 01:45 PM

From The New York Times:
ROME, March 21 —An Italian journalist who was held hostage for 15 days by the Taliban in lawless southern Afghanistan was ransomed for five Taliban prisoners, the Italian government and Afghan officials confirmed Wednesday.
It appears to be the first time prisoners have been openly exchanged for a hostage in the wars that the United States and its allies are fighting there and in Iraq, and the move drew immediate criticism from Washington and London, and from other European capitals.
[...] full article

What do you think about it? I'm sad when I see that some people risk its life to capture and defeat taliban but other ones free terrorists. It was right to surrender at that racket?

[-=IDSF=-]SykloAG · 03-22-2007, 03:00 PM

The problem is war is not humane. Or nice or pretty. Its savage. Welcome to reality. I hope all the peace activists wake up and smell the mud, blood and gunpowder.

The guy was kidnapped on his way to interview a Taliban commander. That was mistake number one. If you send a journalist to interview Hanibal, except him to be eaten.

Mistake number two was to take a bunch of psychos prisoner. Why even take prisoners? Do the suicidal maniacs take prisoners? When was the last time you heard of a US Marine captured in Iraq?

Mistake number three was to give in to the ransom. This is a very bad thing indeed and will only result in more kidnappings and ransoms.

Unless you are a soldier fighting the Jihadies, then you have no place as a journalist or tourist in enemy lands.

Cravixon · 03-22-2007, 03:01 PM

Don't make deals with them. If the Italian government had the fortitude, they would send in boys to get him.

Fishw0rk · 03-22-2007, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [-=IDSF=-]SykloAG

Mistake number two was to take a bunch of psychos prisoner. Why even take prisoners?

Uuummmm to interrogate them?

[-=IDSF=-]SykloAG · 03-22-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishw0rk

Uuummmm to interrogate them?

Of course, but then either get rid of them (hell, send them back to their village just before a carpet-bombing) or make sure that the enemy does not know you have them.

Or you can give them justice - send them to get tried in Texas.

SiN|ScarFace · 03-22-2007, 05:36 PM

Journalists should work at their own risk and frankly many are beyond foolish believing they are objective observers in a conflict. I just recently watched a video where a British reporter guy went there and interviewed some Taliban commander, and the commander made the comment to the reporter that while he was waiting for them to show up they were deciding weather or not to kidnap and kill him. He met with them and was treated with respect but he could have been killed at any moment. One guy even pulled out a huge Rambo knife and said he wanted to kill Americans with it.

I really don't care that they exchanged 5 people for the reporter, people do what they gotta do. Really I have no pitty for anyone killed or captured in a foreign land, as simply you do not belong there and have no place there, tread at your own risk and fully accept the risks of doing so.

Jarek Mace · 03-22-2007, 06:03 PM

Bad move, Journalists have just become valuable currency.

~~ArmedDrunk&Angry~~ · 03-22-2007, 07:22 PM

This isn't new, it's just the first time it got headlines. There are many nations and corporations that have been paying ransoms all along.
It won't make much difference in the long run but it will hurt the enemy's propaganda efforts if journalists sympathetic to their cause are fearful to get interviews.

[R-MOD]Wasteland · 03-22-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [-=IDSF=-]SykloAG

Mistake number two was to take a bunch of psychos prisoner. Why even take prisoners? Do the suicidal maniacs take prisoners? When was the last time you heard of a US Marine captured in Iraq?

It's called the moral higher ground. If you are willing to mimic the actions of your enemies in order to fight them, you may as well be fighting against yourself. As lawful nations we abide by certain codes of military conduct. One of these is the taking of prisoners.

[-=IDSF=-]SykloAG · 03-22-2007, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP*wasteland.soldier

It's called the moral higher ground. If you are willing to mimic the actions of your enemies in order to fight them, you may as well be fighting against yourself. As lawful nations we abide by certain codes of military conduct. One of these is the taking of prisoners.

So, as I said - be moral and send them to Texas for trial by jury.

03-22-2007, 01:45 PM	#1
TroyMcClure Join Date: Mar 2007 Italy Location: Monza Posts: 332	Italy Swapped 5 Jailed Taliban for a Hostage From The New York Times: ROME, March 21 —An Italian journalist who was held hostage for 15 days by the Taliban in lawless southern Afghanistan was ransomed for five Taliban prisoners, the Italian government and Afghan officials confirmed Wednesday. It appears to be the first time prisoners have been openly exchanged for a hostage in the wars that the United States and its allies are fighting there and in Iraq, and the move drew immediate criticism from Washington and London, and from other European capitals. [...] full article What do you think about it? I'm sad when I see that some people risk its life to capture and defeat taliban but other ones free terrorists. It was right to surrender at that racket?
	Please, have patience... i'm a friggin italian .. Елена, Я тебя люблю.

03-22-2007, 03:00 PM	#2
[-=IDSF=-]SykloAG Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Israel Posts: 404	This was foolish although humane. The problem is war is not humane. Or nice or pretty. Its savage. Welcome to reality. I hope all the peace activists wake up and smell the mud, blood and gunpowder. The guy was kidnapped on his way to interview a Taliban commander. That was mistake number one. If you send a journalist to interview Hanibal, except him to be eaten. Mistake number two was to take a bunch of psychos prisoner. Why even take prisoners? Do the suicidal maniacs take prisoners? When was the last time you heard of a US Marine captured in Iraq? Mistake number three was to give in to the ransom. This is a very bad thing indeed and will only result in more kidnappings and ransoms. Unless you are a soldier fighting the Jihadies, then you have no place as a journalist or tourist in enemy lands.

03-22-2007, 03:01 PM	#3
Cravixon Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 398	Don't make deals with them. If the Italian government had the fortitude, they would send in boys to get him.
Cravixon Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 398

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03-22-2007, 05:36 PM	#6
SiN\|ScarFace Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,421	Journalists should work at their own risk and frankly many are beyond foolish believing they are objective observers in a conflict. I just recently watched a video where a British reporter guy went there and interviewed some Taliban commander, and the commander made the comment to the reporter that while he was waiting for them to show up they were deciding weather or not to kidnap and kill him. He met with them and was treated with respect but he could have been killed at any moment. One guy even pulled out a huge Rambo knife and said he wanted to kill Americans with it. I really don't care that they exchanged 5 people for the reporter, people do what they gotta do. Really I have no pitty for anyone killed or captured in a foreign land, as simply you do not belong there and have no place there, tread at your own risk and fully accept the risks of doing so.

03-22-2007, 06:03 PM	#7
Jarek Mace Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: London Posts: 212	Bad move, Journalists have just become valuable currency.

03-22-2007, 07:22 PM	#8
~~ArmedDrunk&Angry~~ Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 6,971	This isn't new, it's just the first time it got headlines. There are many nations and corporations that have been paying ransoms all along. It won't make much difference in the long run but it will hurt the enemy's propaganda efforts if journalists sympathetic to their cause are fearful to get interviews.

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