The scumbags in the Taliban have agreed to free the remaining hostages. Do you think this makes them look good? Remember, they already murdered two hostages. Oh, and the fact that they took hostages in the first place should tell you something--they are sumhuman filth!

But thank God for all miracles small and great, even if the price tag is high. It's really the hostage catch 22---we celebrate the fact that the 19 hostages will be coming home but mourn the fact that more hostages will be taken because South Korea bowed to at least some of the Taliban's demands. But, as Michelle said, "I’ll believe it when they are all back safe and alive."

The price? South Korea will withdraw all troops and ban Korean nationals from going to Afghanistan as Christian missionaries.

The last part is no big deal since it is already against the law in the newly "liberated" Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to try to convert Muslims. The only "missionaries" presently allowed in the country are those on humanitarian missions. Which is what the South Koreans were in Afghanistan for, on a medical mission.

According to Wikipedia the South Korean military has about 60 medics and 150 engineers in Afghanistan. So, it's not a big loss in strictly military terms.

However inconsequential the demands may seem, though, the fact that the South Koreans a) negotiated b) capitulated sends the wrong message and could have some very negative long term consequences. By negotiating with the Taliban the South Koreans legitimize them.

By capitulating they send a very clear signal to the Taliban: taking hostages works.

What we are witnessing is the Spaniardization of South Korea. And as AllahP reminds us, the Taliban have other hostages they are still holding.

One of them, Rudolf Blechschmidt, was recently seen in a video saying that he was in bad shape. Another German hostage taken with Blechschmidt, Ruediger Diedrich, was murdered in cold blood by the Taliban

A third hostage, Christina Meier, was recently rescued. It boggles the mind that a rescue attempt was not attempted for the South Koreans.

For a more complete chronicling:
Hostage archives
Hostages: South Korean

Posted by: Rusty at 08:58 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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