Taff107

I'm really losing sympathy with these civillians who are being taken hostage in Iraq. When will people understand the level of danger that they are opening themselves up to? I wouldn't have been there through choice and certainly not without being heavily armed.
I suppose their greed for the large salaries being offered is more than their sense of self preservation

pslewis

Had this same discussion this morning!

Without going into any details, we have equipment in Iraq - our staff have been out there. I am damned sure that I will NOT go out, we are quite well protected by the American and UK forces. But, even then!!

These civil engineers and such like are in the suburbs!! NOT protected!!

They are getting good wages - maybe £200k? But, come on, to get beheaded??

Pure greed and I have little sympathy - I feel for the family they leave behind

Pete

Taff107

I wouldn't go either even though you had US/UK forces providing protection. - just too damn risky!

David Lock

I hope you are excluding NGOs and other aid workers who don't earn a fortune and are there to try and help the poor locals caught up in this bloody nightmare......

Taff107

I wouldn't do that either - Alright it's very 'noble', but they don't give a s**t who you are. You'll just be another fatality who probably won't even make the news the next day

David Lock

I wouldn't do it either 'cos I am old and a coward (more seriously wouldn't be fair on family) but I admire their guts for going there and agree that they run the same risks and are just as likely to be just another statistic. They probably do more to improve the image of the western world than a 1000 yank soldiers.

pslewis

A Yankie soldier doesn't give a good impression of the western world at all!

A British Soldier, on the other hand, is given respect wherever they go - not sure why? but the yanks are truly HATED!!

They are too Gun-Ho, very small brains and big guns!

The aid workers are doing a job for a tiny wage, they don't tend to get targetted (they could be aiding the terrorists families after all!) They draw no lines when need is the motive.

Its a bloody mess and I fear will never be sorted out!

Pete

David Lock

Pete, I agree although some aid workers have been captured.

I too fear that it may all go **** up in a big way. David

Turbohot

Very seroius mater whatever
Hope the hostages get released

King RA

£200k where do I sign???

Trucker Ted

Got to agree,these people know where they are and the risks their taking,i value my life at more than 200k.If your a civillian,then stay away from the sh*t-hole and let the armed forces get on with it,stay in the U.K and work for a normal months salary like the rest of us and go to Tenerife your holidays,less chance of being be-headed!

John Catlin

One thing for sure I have not been offered any where near 200K

Leslie

With the enormous amounts you tell us that you get paid as a part timer PSL, I think it is a bit hypocritical to say that you have no sympathy with the hostages who went out there for good money.

My sympathies are certainly with that poor man who is under threat of a horrible death as well as his family of course. I keep on thinking how it must be to wait for the knife to be used on your throat! As you say, you would not have the bottle to go out there, even though you have fellow employees out there, so I dont think you are in a position to criticise.

I also wonder if it was a member of your hero's government in that position, whether they would be so quick to say that they are not prepared to release the female prisoners in order to save his life.

Les

Edcase

Les,

I made the mistake of watching the footage this morning of the American being beheaded and it had a profound effect on me.

How these people can actually DO that, and feel proud is just beyond my levels of belief. At least using the samurai method (single sword blow, back to front) is almost instant.

These barbaric sub-human scum use nothing more than a bowie knife, and saw from front to back, so the hostage lives through the whole ordeal until they get through the nerves in the spine.

As you say, I can't stop thinking now what must be going through their heads as they wait. I can actually feel the panic rise up in me just thinking about it.

The world has never been perfect, far from it, but September the 11th seems to have opened the gates of hell, and I don't see how it is ever going to get better.

Jap2Scrap

I'd change "even though" to "especially as" in that sentence....

Edcase

I had that exact conversation this morning.

My thoughts are that the hostages will hope for last minute reprieves, as has happened in a small number of cases, rather than risk a very unlikely escape through a bullet in the back.

Then, I expect after a couple of days without food / the mental stress / probably drugged, there's nothing they can do. Particularly these Westerners, its very unlikely they speak Arabic, and so they probably wouldn't know exactly if / when it's going to happen until it does.

I struggle to think of a worse way to go.

andypugh2000

Unfortunately this is a war that will never end including hostage taking

vindaloo

The way the responsibilities are split UK/USA in Iraq. The UK was given the Shia areas to administer. They should be more responsive and the gamble was that the troops could adopt a more "Police" like role. The Americans weren't in a good position to start with as they're reviled as supporting Israel. Add the fact that they've got responsibility for the more toublesome areas and it was always going to be far more difficult to get the locals on-side.

I saw an interview with one of the original UK hostages. He was taken from the house he was staying by an armed gang. He said he wouldn't go back but even to contemplate it, he'd insist on staying on a secure military base.

Problem seems to be to me that most of the locals will welcome engineers and the like as it's improving the infrastructure. You'd arrive in Iraq and probably feel quite welcome. The radicals will always be there and have their agendas. First time you see something to worry about will be when the blokes with guns arrive and beat the cr*p out of you before carting you off.



J.

paulr

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/042257.php

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/042372.php

apparently some of the sites that host those vile videos are owned by US companies.

pslewis

Lets get one thing STRAIGHT, I have NEVER told anyone how much I get paid! I have said what I will not do for any amount of money, I have said that I wouldn't get my socks on for less than the average wage of £35k ..... but I fail to see what THAT has to do with my stand on the hostage situation?????

I am tight, I am NOT greedy - and what I was saying still stands ........ those who go out to Iraq do so for the money (and everyone has their price) ....... the risks are weighed up by those working there and they choose to go.

Plenty of jobs in the UK for good Engineers - the lure of BIG money draws them into danger .......................... I wouldn't go there for ANYTHING, but they do!

Its a horrific situation and I just cannot imagine what these men go through as they know they are about to die, a bullet is bad enough - but having your head hacked off is barbaric and these *******s need wiping out!

Pete

paulr

mee too Pete,i wouldnt go for ANY amount of money.no way,and if i did i'd carry a suicide pill with me at all times.

mart360

Its time we started to take a biblical stance..

eye for an eye..

prhaps al jereeza might like to see film of a certain cartoon character in belmarsh nick being beheaded along with his other cronys!!

the tag line could be ..

for every one of ours its two of yours!!!

how many would it be before someone gets the message???


I see today that a rapist asylum seeker cannot be sent back, because it may breach his human rights.. uh!!

how does this train of though sound...

Send him back, he is then not our problem. we have rightly evicted a rapist and a failed asylum seeker, let his own country administer punishment, after all we are told we have to repect different cultures and beliefs..

prhaps i ought to take "old tone" to court for breech of human rights..

is it not our right to live free from worry and duress from these rapists and terrorists??


or as a last resort why dont we just say enough is enough and hit back..

we only ever hear how its wrong and the pc brigade kick of with equality and

how we must respect and embrace them..

prehaps we need to use the **** it and **** em approach!!

it may not be the right thing, but i,m sure it will make a lot of pi**ed off ordinary folk a lot happier

mart

paulr

iread today that some Al-Quada sites are hosted by US companies.

moses

my heart goes out to the guys family

i hope he comes back home safely and letting those 2 woman loose is a bad idea, can u imagine what abu musab al zarqawi will do if he got a hand on them 2 ladies, they will make nuclear weapons and annilihate us and f*** that he will also use it on his own muslim brothers and sisters.

bad idea to let them ladies go

u wonder why they want them 2 out especially, osama was never ever a friend of saddams and suddenly his student abu musab wants saddams nuclear ladies, hmm somethings up

moses

mart360 u seem to talk out the hole out your u know what

this thread is about the hostages and terrorists in iraq and as usual u take the thread to your own filthy hole

pslewis

When they were in that Muslim Shrine we should have blown the whole frigging lot away!

Most Muslims are absolutely fine and must be feeling pretty terrified generally - but, its about time they ALL stood up and told the world that they will help us to get the terrorists (secretly, I'm sure many look on quite satisfied that the christians are being hit and are just turning the other cheek!)

Pete

mart360

so true moses,

but at least its legible..

if you feel so strongly about the situation out there

flights run from heathrow... i,m sure they would welcome you with open arms


LOl

moses

why dont u go out their, u think your so tough, prove your worth sunshine

u are the one with the problem, acting all tough on the forum, u will pee in your pants if u just step in iraq


u turn it into the asylum seeking freaking thread when its do to with the war in iraq, im sure they will luv to have u their those iraqis will show u some nice manly luv