June 21, 200421 yr http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/n...raq_korean_dc_1 An Iraqi group has threatened to behead a South Korean hostage if Seoul does not end cooperation with U.S. occupying authorities, a videotape aired on Arabic television station Al Jazeera said on Monday.
June 21, 200421 yr Al-Qeada has found their equalizer in fighting American occupation of Iraq: beheading. Such a gruesome act sent shockwaves throughout the world in the previous two occurences, and Al-Qeada has become aware of the emotional chord it struck within our country. How will South Korea act? It all depends on how the countries deals with the demand of terrorists. For more than 40 years SK has been living beneath two communist nations; there has to exist some sort of precedent. I would expect Kim Dae-jung to exemplify a level of resolve comparable to Saudi Arabia (Johnson)/ Iraq (Berg)/ Pakistan (Pearl). Even if "resolve" results in the death of innocent Koreans, it should remain clear negotiating with terrorist organizations is unacceptable. As many have said before, this situation truly is "no-win."
June 21, 200421 yr What I don't get is although it causes outrage all it does it make the US more pissed off at them when they eventually do behead the poor victim... Not only that I don't think it's worked yet...
June 21, 200421 yr What I don't get is although it causes outrage all it does it make the US more pissed off at them when they eventually do behead the poor victim... Not only that I don't think it's worked yet... But with this latest threat they are targeting an ally and not us. We saw how quickly Spain pulled out after the Madrid bombing and so the terrorists know that the resolve of our allies may be the weakest link, particularly if there is significant political pressure in the home countries aver being a part of the war to begin with. It is getting to be a surreal situation. Nine days until the handover, and I'm sure it will be a rocky road leading up to it with more of this kind of thing rather than less.
June 21, 200421 yr It can only get worse. I'm waiting for the webcam that will monitor the prisoner 24/7.
June 21, 200421 yr On the radio today they played a snippet of some broadcast the kidnappers made of the Korean guy begging for his life. It was only a few seconds of tape, but damned if I wasn't crying for the guy and his family by the end of it.
June 21, 200421 yr Luckily I will be away all next week, and completely cut-off from all sorts of news. I will be hitting the Northwoods, and puposely avoidng the world. So if the s*** does hit the fan any worse than it has already, I hopefully will know nothing about it and will enjoy a peaceful world with my family for 7 days. Then I will return to this Godforsaken world and spend the rest of time with a little depression in my heart as I see how far humanity continues to fall. I feel sorry for this poor guy possibly moreso than I have any of the others. I am sure he thought he was completely safe over there, since he was probably convinced he was doing good, and would be viewed by others as such. Any American over there, regardless what they are doing (carrying a gun, or a bag of food for starving children) must realize that they are the "enemy" no matter what. But this guy, he had no idea at all. As bad as it sounds, I kind of hope that if this turns out bad, I hope that it angers North Korea. The last country in this world I think anybody wants pissed at them is N. Korea. I would rather anger the US than those guys! Let Kim get in on this little party, and then I have a feeling that those Terrorists will finally understand what fear is all about. They want to understand "torture"? Heh, lets get those guys over to N. Korea! Telling ya, it's time to play REAL dirty with these monkies.
June 21, 200421 yr As bad as it sounds, I kind of hope that if this turns out bad, I hope that it angers North Korea. The last country in this world I think anybody wants pissed at them is N. Korea. I would rather anger the US than those guys! Let Kim get in on this little party, and then I have a feeling that those Terrorists will finally understand what fear is all about. They want to understand "torture"? Heh, lets get those guys over to N. Korea! Telling ya, it's time to play REAL dirty with these monkies. The hostage is from South Korea. Unfortunately, he's a dead man. It is truly a shame that our country is too civilized to retaliate with ten beheadings for every one of ours they kill. If nothing else, it might have helped to erode any popular support they have in the Middle East. If every time they lopped the head off of a westerner it meant that ten Middle Eastern families who have loved ones in Coalition control could look forward to having their relatives' heads cut off, perhaps the Middle Eastern population would stop aiding them.
June 21, 200421 yr The hostage is from South Korea. Unfortunately, he's a dead man. It is truly a shame that our country is too civilized to retaliate with ten beheadings for every one of ours they kill. If nothing else, it might have helped to erode any popular support they have in the Middle East. If every time they lopped the head off of a westerner it meant that ten Middle Eastern families who have loved ones in Coalition control could look forward to having their relatives' heads cut off, perhaps the Middle Eastern population would stop aiding them. I know he is from the South, but no matter how the North and South are divided, they are all still Koreans. I would bet that there is still SOME compassion to each other. There is more chance of the North getting worked up over this than if he was from Japan.
June 21, 200421 yr I know he is from the South, but no matter how the North and South are divided, they are all still Koreans. I would bet that there is still SOME compassion to each other. There is more chance of the North getting worked up over this than if he was from Japan. Sadly, the north may cheer.
June 21, 200421 yr Sadly, the north may cheer. Wackier than I could even imagine they are there, eh? Man, and it seems like a civilised nation, no? I know they are Communists, but even the USSR was never that wacky as far as the populace was concerned, were they? I was born in '70, so when I actually started to truely pay attention to the politics of the world, the Curtain had begun to fall.
June 21, 200421 yr Wackier than I could even imagine they are there, eh? Man, and it seems like a civilised nation, no? I know they are Communists, but even the USSR was never that wacky as far as the populace was concerned, were they? I was born in '70, so when I actually started to truely pay attention to the politics of the world, the Curtain had begun to fall. IIRC this is the longest running cease fire in history. There has never been a surrender or formal truce agreement officially ending the Korean War in spite of 48 years of negotiation. Only a fragile cease-fire agreement is in place and technically, the countries remain at a state-of-war. Since cease-fire service began in 1954 there have been over 40,400 breaches to the cease-fire agreement by North Korean Forces. At least 1,200 U.S. personnel have died, hundreds wounded, and 87 captured and held prisoner. There are more than 2,300 Republic of Korea casualties. In August 1999 the Korea Defense Veterans of America, headquartered in Dunellen, NJ, initiated the project to bring proper recognition to cease-fire veterans. The KDVA is a national organization of current and former Armed Forces members from all branches of service that have served in Korea between 1945 and the present. KOREA DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL APPROVED
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