Tim Blair

Given the latest threat to Italy says that in return for meeting the kidnapper's demands, they'll give information (where the bodies are buried? if they're still alive?), I'm not hopeful.

Remember these were Aid workers. From an organisation that had been in Iraq even before thw war, and so had an "in" with the Ba'athists.

And by my last sentence I meant that it was probably not Ba'athists who did this deed. Not that the victims were in any way connected with Saddam's tyranny. These were people genuinely trying to do good.
Cross fingers they'll end up safe and sane.

Sorry, I'm not buying all of Matt's line. First off, the Western world was not solidly with the U.S. in November 2001. That is historical revisionism. I'm looking at actions of what countries and people did, not mouthy platitudes or empty votes that weren't followed up on.

Secondly, what I've seen said about the French journalists reflects on the French government, not the reporters... that maybe, just maybe, the French government will finally freaking wake up. Of course there are yahoos that will make insane comments like he mentions. And of course there are insane books that tell you how to murder the President. Just be sure not to draw the line too close to your side, Matt.

When did Matt Welch turn into Andrew Sullivan?

Given the anti-American comments made not just by French government officials, or even the French people, but precisely by FRENCH JOUNALISTS, don't expect for a gnat's heartbeat that Americans are going to watch this episode with the two journalists with anything less than a "what goes around, comes around" grin.

Sorry pal. If you want me to be all verklempt, you're going to have a long wait. Very real Americans have died because of the behaviors of French government officials, French businessmen AND French journalists.

No, Matt has a point. I've seen too many cowardly online assholes express joy and derisive laughter at the thought of French journalists being kidnapped by terrorists. This isn't an "I told you so" sort of thing, these are people who laugh loud and hatefully.

Fuck that. There's no excuse. Adding "...but the french government waa waa waa" is a sad little fig-leaf defense of the indefesible. It isn't okay for EuroJerks to cheer for the death of Americans because they don't like the Bush administration, it's not okay for us to savor the death and misfortune of French individuals because of Chirac or his policies.

I have to agree. The French government behaving like a bunch of assholes does not give free license to the rest of the world to do the same. Chirac himself can go twirl on a bayonet, but I don't wish any ill will on the journalists.

I agree that there is no excuse for the behavior of some in gloating over this. Comments made about the French government are as fair game as their comments about us, however.

But to Matt's other points again, not that many were with us in action in November 2001. France and Germany went to Afghanistan ONLY after all the heavy lifting had been due by the U.S.

I feel bad for the French journalists because they are being used as pawns in the long-standing Gallic tradition of bribing its way through trouble in the Middle East.

I feel bad for them because if the Philippines hadn't capitulated so quickly to kidnappers, that tactic might not be nearly as attractive as it is right now and those guys have been caught up in it as well.

I don't know who Emmanuelle is, but I'm assuming her anguish isn't any greater than that of the families of the Nepalese workers who were beheaded because they had the nerve to help build roads and power plants and such.

The French journalists capture has had a unifying affect on muslim/christian relations in France.I read about Muslims coming out to protest and show their solidarity to their country.That and the muslim journalists honest appraisal of muslim terrorists being a shame are hopeful signs.Perhaps the tide is starting to turn against the islamo fascists within the muslim world.I hope so.

What sort of articles did these French journalists write? Were they the usual "humiliation is torture", "brave Iraqi resistance", "Americans are all war criminals", "Ask why terrorists hate you" Al-Jazeera propoganda? If so, good riddance to bad rubbish, and I hope they die screaming.

Clem, that's a pretty fucked up idea. No one should die for articles they write. Not Nazis, not Communists, not French journalists, not you, not me. Whatever those articles said.

Gee, Clem, way to be an asshole. Me? I don't care for a lot of what many journalists, French and otherwise, have written on subjects pertaining to Americans, the War on Terror, and September 11th. But you know what? I save my death wishes for the terrorists. They're the ones who decided to kill innocents because they don't like the way the world is run, and they'd have done so even if every journalist in the world was behind George Bush 100%.