Much of the problem is in the media---don't give these hostage takers the platform they seek and slowly (and hopefully--surely) they will crawl back into the woodwork with the rest of the termites.

Their cause is only aided by publicity. And they know it.

Israel has the right idea---no negotiations---find the kidnappers and try to release the hostages-----would we had another Entebbe.

As to terrorists---we hit the bee's nest and now they are swarming---so much for the nonsense of ridding the world of terrorism by this administration. They merely covered their asses for the intelligence foul-up and then created a situation they wanted all along---control of the region. Not going to work. Talk about nation building---sounds more like Imperialism---after all---where were we with the African problems and others---no oil, and no interest.

Frightening picture in today's NY Times of our troops wading off of this generation of "swift boats" trying to capture insurgents---they joke about Nam. As Pete Seeger wrote---"...when will they ever learn".

Bill Hahn