The Japanese Hostages - Just Saw the Film - Heart Wrenching ...

[SayitAintSo]

This is so incredibly sad that these relief workers are being paraded around on TV. One is just a teenage activist! They just showed some of their families reactions on MSNBC - They are so a brave. God help them and their families.

[SayitAintSo]

1. Just Heard Now 2 Americans and 4 Italians Taken as Well

[SoCalDem]

2. I feel very sad for them, BUT... going to a war zone is NEVER

a good idea.. Missionary work or other "service to humanity" work, when done is a war zone is always hazardous, and should not be entered into blithely..

If one is a teenager, I feel especially sorry for the parents , if they sent that kid with their blessing..They will have a lifetime of regret.:(

When the UN leaves because it's too dangerous, that should be a "heads up" moment for all the others..

[SayitAintSo]

3. Even though work is hazardous - I thought special considerations were....

Given to Relief and Aid workers - by both sides.

BTW - LOVE your sig line ...

[BonFiyah]

4. What is the best course of action?

How will Japanese public react?
How should the Japanese government respond?

If the hostages are released.

If the hostages are killed.

[SoCalDem]

5. In the "olden days", special consideration was given,

but no more.. There have been too many instances of people within those organizations with "hidden agendas".. Even the UN is suspect, because they also have "fighters" within their organization.. And in some countries, ANY American can be accused of being CIA or a spy..

We (westerners) are no longer trusted to be benevolent, because of the things our government does in our names.. Every westerner has an invisible (to us) target on us when we travel..


sigline.. I am a cat person, but this little puppy was too cute to pass up :)

[rockymountaindem]

6. Don't feel bad

it is not because of our modern-day actions that the rest of the world is suspicious of the West. There's a long history of us abusing people... European colonialism, Australian treatment of Aborigines, US suppression of the Philippine insurrection (1899-1902), the Opium wars, US Indian wars, etc. etc. all the way back to the Crusades. It's not all our fault.

[SayitAintSo]

8. Thanks - sad that it's gotten to this - just thought the military ....

would be the preferred/more likely hostage targets for the Iraqis. Japanese relief workers seem hardly the draw here .... Just thinking about the disproportionate response of what WE did to Japan after Pearl Harbor. Seems ironic that the Japanese would the ones threatened to be burned alive for our war while we did that to them by the 100K in WWII.

That puppie has some EARS on him :)

[Art_from_Ark]

7. The teenager's parents were against him going

but they relented because he felt so strongly about wanting to distribute picture books to Iraqi kids to warn them of the danger of depleted uranium.

Japanese TV showed videos of the woman working with Iraqi street kids. She looked like she was making a difference to them.

The photographer wanted to show the world the realities of life in Iraq.

[Delarage]

9. Most Japanese hate Bush

Most Japanese people hate Bush and his bogus war already. I had a Japanese exchange-teacher living in my house last year and many of his friends and family came over to visit and they all tip-toed around the issue until Minoru told them that I hated Bush, then we sat and completely bashed Bush. They said most Japanese were adamently opposed to Japan sending troops.

It could be another "coalition" member falling off the wagon. Who's next? The Cayman Islands?

[Cascadian]

10. I can only imagine that the heat Koizumi will be facing....

if these people do die. Koizumi better expect outrage among his people.


John