BS: Hostages expenses.

Subject: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 10:36 AM

Reading the sad news regarding the Alaskan guy on another thread, made me ponder this, but I thought it inappropriate to clutter up inobu's thread with this thought.

Just imagine if in ten years time there have been no drastic changes in Iraq, it is still as dangerous a place for Westerners to visit or work in etc.

The hostages taken now and recently had all gone to Iraq for legitimate reasons. But when something goes wrong, as in the current hostage predicament, who's responsibility is it to try and get them home? I know it is a huge joint effort, but who pays the bills and the expenses relating to it must be huge.

If the men are there working, do their employers pay? If someone is representing a charity fund etc, do they pay? I suspose what I am interested in is who's budget gets the final bill? Is it the Govt because the hostages are their citizens?

I would imagine Iraq isn't on the 'two week holiday insurance' list of places to go, so no help from that quarter. And if nothing changes in Iraq and westerners keep going to Iraq, and what stage do they become responsible for their own actions and consequences.

It would be a shame if budgets were being depleted elsewhere that led to some people not being able to go abroad on officially sanctioned business, to areas where they are able to implement constructive change.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 10:52 AM

Were the latest group of hostages whose deasline was extended to last Saturday and including the Virginain missionary executed?

I must have missed any coverage on CNN .

That last I heard about them was the President reiterating the no payment policy.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 11:01 AM

someone wrote on another thread that video footage of the alaskan guys execution reported to exist. No news on the others. But the alaskan guy was being held by a different faction.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 11:09 AM

The French paid to release their star women journalist. She was shot at an American check point and her driver killed after their release but $ would go a long way to insure their release.

In Afghanistan CIA agents went around paying $200 and up to families that had family members killed in the hostilities, so I do not see any harm in paying to sustain life before it is lost, in fact I believe it is obviously far preferable.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 12:35 PM

Donuel
FYI: The French are the folks who hate their Arab guest workers, play accordian, eat cheese, and are reported to surrender alot.
The Italianos have an old tower that is non-super-vertical, and a city that boats drive through.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: Teribus
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 02:40 PM

So much for Donuel's grip of the facts of the situation - the "French" star journalist was Italian

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 03:00 PM

Opps my mistake. I'm often more tin man than scarecrow.

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 03:01 PM

Zut Alors!

Subject: RE: BS: Hostages expenses.
From: GUEST,Skivee
Date: 20 Dec 05 - 09:12 PM

Mine was the post about French cheese eaters and Italian constuction techniques. 12:35 pm
My cookie must have been eaten