Appeasement 101
The report comes from the Philippines Daily Tribune via Michelle Malkin.
bq. A ransom of $6 million was offered and paid out to the Iraqi rebels holding Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz hostage, to ensure his release before President Arroyo’s scheduled State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 26, a high level Philippine intelligence officer told the Tribune yesterday.
The reaction of the Philippines government to the kidnapping has set off other terrorists:
bq. TAKING advantage of the government’s changed stance against terrorism, the New People’s Army said it would not release the soldiers it captured until the government suspends all military and police operations in the Bicol region.
Isn't that a great precedent? For those of us who maintain that appeasement and caving in to terrorism will just embolden the terrorists, this is the proof in the pudding.
I imagine that if some of the anti-war people got their wish that we pull out of Iraq now, we'd see a lot more demands like this.
Is the United States one of just a few countries left who will just say no to terrorism?
Speaking of standing tall in the face of terror:
bq. The Council on Foreign Relations is hosting a task force on Iran that calls for the US to engage Iran - which is Washington speak for 'make a deal'. Your voice is needed to demonstrate just how dangerous this is for America and for Iran. Please send a fax or email to the Council (in English if possible) letting them know that to "engage Iran" will mean complicity in the torture, repression and murder of an entire people -- while also allowing Iran to shelter al Qaeda terrorists and extremists bent on using nuclear weapons.
There will be a demonstration this morning at the Washington Club (Dupont Circle).
We must stand with those who fight against regimes that support terrorism. And we must take a stand against those who capitulate.
Comments
I was more interested about the article about "The wonders of wild honey supplement".
Posted by: Drew | July 19, 2004 08:22 AM
Of course you were, Drew.
Posted by: michele | July 19, 2004 08:28 AM
Come on now. Some light moments are allowed from time to time.
Anyone who knows anything knew this would happen. Look back to before WWII and what G.B. appeasement to Germany did for example.
Posted by: Drew | July 19, 2004 08:31 AM
As an American Ex-pat living in the Philippines (since 2001 and retirement from the US Navy) I have been following this story since its inception two weeks ago.
At this point I'am withholding total belief in the story. As yet it hasn't been on the AP, Reuters, or the Yahoo/Google newswires.
I will say this the Daily Tribune has a reputation of breaking this type of story. They were the first to report the Abu Sayyaf/Gracia Burnham episode and the $20 mil that changed hands from European governments.
Also the level of detail given in the report is not normally associated to "un-named source" stories and the fact the Philippines has a very long history of capitulation to its local terror groups lends more credence to it.
BTW I sent a couple track backs from my posts of the last couple weeks.
Posted by: Marc | July 19, 2004 09:00 AM
What if it was your son or daughter?
Posted by: earl | July 19, 2004 01:39 PM
Why on earth should other countries help the United States secure Iraq's oil fields?
You may still buy the whole "war on terror" shtick, but don't blame the rest of the world for how easily you get suckered.
in other news, it's just possible the good people of the Philippines remember the hundreds of thousands of deaths from the United States colonizaiton of their country back in the early 19th Century. People are funny about remembering that kind of thing.
Posted by: the burningman | July 19, 2004 04:16 PM
OMG!!!! It's all about OIL!!! Now I know! And knowing is half the battle!
Thank you, the burningman, for teaching us how to laugh and love again!
Posted by: David C | July 19, 2004 06:06 PM
I'm searching for a word that rhymes with "evil", because "Axis of Chickenshit" doesn't have quite the right ring.
And burningman, at the risk of repeating it YET AGAIN, if we'd wanted oil we'd have made a deal with Saddam.
Like the Frogs, Krauts, and Russkies did.
Posted by: Ken Summers | July 19, 2004 06:09 PM
Burningman:
What history book are YOU reading? The Philippines was a Spanish Colony for almost the entire 19th Century. I'm guessing your referring to the civilian deaths that occurred during the Philippine War of Independence (1899-1901). These deaths were mainly the result of famine & disease not wholesale slaughter by crazed American troops bent on genocide. I would imagine if the Filipinos have a grudge against anyone it would most likely be directed at Spain or Japan.
Posted by: Gumby | July 19, 2004 08:56 PM
Good point, Gumby. The Filipinos certainly didn't hold it against us during WWII. Also, we were the ones who gave them independence.
Posted by: Ken Summers | July 20, 2004 10:52 AM