generalspeaking

Political Disputes

Interesting what is revealed that is suspected to have occurred. Wikileaks has certainly gone far in its capacity to elucidate details through its publication of many 'leaked' documents. Embarrassment for public officials and their governments obviously rank very high indeed in the raison d'etre of Wikileaks' formidably reason-resistant founder.

Here is the news that a cable from the American embassy in Mali is critical of the Government of Canada: "paying ransom will only make citizens of the ransom-paying nations targets of future hostage taking attempts". Well, yes. Governments are all in agreement that none should succumb to paying ransom to terrorists for the release of their nationals.

In this particular instance two Canadian diplomats who were doing work for the United Nations appear to have gone off on a private tangent in North Africa where they were captured and abducted by members of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Robert Fowler and Louis Guay, the two distinguished gentlemen. Who, after 130 days of being held captive, were released, along with a few others.

Obviously not a good-will gesture on the part of their captors. Obviously not released for no quid pro quo, since the purpose of their abduction was to acquire some advantage; the release of some of their AQIM members from prison, or the payment of a substantial amount of money - to help further the cause. Both, it would seem, on this occasion, procured their freedom.

The Government of Canada, needless to say, takes umbrage at the very suggestion it would resort to breaking an international vow not to advantage terrorists by giving them what they seek. Someone, of course, paid the ransom. A friend of Canada from within the international community. Wikileaks is not, evidently, in possession of a document that would reveal solid fact, apart from speculation.

So the two Canadians returned to Canada. Enabling Robert Fowler to spew venom upon the Conservative-led government of Stephen Harper. Who, if he truly did see it as necessary to rescue abducted Canadians, may very well feel that, having done his duty to them, he might have thought a trifle deeper in hindsight about managing to rescue the two while abandoning the principle of not enabling terrorists' agenda.

There's just something about Westerners who fault their own countries and feel a sense of admiration and brotherhood with those countries who harbour or encourage terrorism. Admiring the courage of the people living under repression and the stranglehold of endemic poverty, lack of justice and freedom. Their affinity for those places affords them no protection.

They are, withal, forgiving. Fowler, while excoriating his own government, has nothing but praise for Africa. And the two American hikers just released from Evin prison in Iran? Two (three with their female companion, earlier released) innocent American youth, hiking on the border between Iran and Iraq and imprisoned as Big Satan's spies? Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal could protest all they wanted that they were not spies, Iran knew otherwise.

Who do the two young men blame in their heart of hearts for their long incarceration as 'hostages' of the Islamist Republic of Iran? Why of course, the United States of America. "The irony is that Sarah, Josh and I oppose U.S. policies towards Iran which perpetuate this hostility", Arabic-speaking Shane Bauer explained.

"The only explanation for our prolonged detention is the 32 years of mutual hostility between America and Iran. We were convicted of espionage because we are Americans. It's that simple".

That simple. Quite. And, of course, it was not the United States government that undertook to free the two young men from their mind-impoverishing imprisonment. It was the Gulf State of Oman that handed over a cool one million $ to Iran, as "bail".

"It was clear to us from the very beginning that we were hostages. This is the most accurate term because, despite certain knowledge of our innocence, Iran has always tied our case to its political disputes with the U.S."

Those boys certainly know their history, do they not?

Labels: Africa, Government of Canada, Iran, Islamism, United States

posted by Pieface @ Monday, September 26, 2011