Insurgetnts release some hostages.

[chcr]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Kidnappers have released up to 12 foreigners taken hostage in Iraq, a member of the U.S.-appointed Governing Council said Monday. Meanwhile, two U.S. troops and seven employees of American contractor Kellogg, Brown & Root were missing following an attack "two days ago" on a convoy near Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said Monday. He refused to say whether they had been abducted.

Link

 

[RDX]

I guess it is really the only smart solution for them. What are their other options? No country involved has given any signs of complying with the kidnapper's demands. How would killing them help their cause any? As fanatical as they are, I still believe that they do put some thought into their decisions. Displaying images of the captives being burned or shot or beheaded would certainly not stir up support for their cause anywhere. That leaves them with either letting the captives go or holding on to them longer. I suppose they could just hold on to them indefinetly, but what would that really gain them? I doubt the positions of the countries involved will change in the near future, so they are almost worthless as bargaining chips. The longer the terrorists hold onto these people, the greater the chance that their location will by discovered by an intellegence leak.

 

[chcr]

I think the point is that real terrorists wouldn't hesitate to kill these people anyway. Some of these people are having second thoughts. We'll see plenty of them killed before this is over, but at least they aren't all blodthirsty maniacs

 

[A.B.Normal]

Probably alot to do with the Moderate Clerics (Al Sistani etc.... ) who spoke out against kidnapping, in fact they made a religious edict against kidnapping.This shows how much influence the religious leaders have over the masses.On the weekend there was a meeting in Najaf where they met to defuse the situation so as to keep the US out of the Holiest city and its shrines to protect them from firefight damage.The US is now surrounding Najaf and are going after al-sadr regardless of the deal Al-sistani worked out with Al-sadr to have him back down.IMO this is going to turn al-sistani and his followers against the coalition .The turmoil and bloodshed of the firrst half of April was bad if al-sistanis and his millions loyal followers decide to act against the coalition then its gonna be really awful.