Comments on: Triangle of Death Hostage Search: Day 9 http://themoderatevoice.com/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:08:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Shaun Mullen http://themoderatevoice.com/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/comment-page-1/#comment-81591 Shaun Mullen Mon, 21 May 2007 16:36:50 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/#comment-81591 I keep coming back to the fact that Al-Taei was not a native-born American in comparing the reaction to his abduction and the abduction of the three men in the Triangle of Death, but that may be oversimplifying things, The situation on the ground in Iraq in October when Al-Taei went missing is not appreciably different than the situation now, but we are at the Mother of All Tipping Points. That is to say that the president's support has eroded substantially and despite some isolated successes the surge isn't doing the trick. The apparent indifference to Al-Taei notwithstanding, I have written that Americans do not abide hostage takings, whether Iran in 1979, Lebanon in the 1980s or Iraq in 2007. Neither does the military, so the stakes are especially high. I keep coming back to the fact that Al-Taei was not a native-born American in comparing the reaction to his abduction and the abduction of the three men in the Triangle of Death, but that may be oversimplifying things,

The situation on the ground in Iraq in October when Al-Taei went missing is not appreciably different than the situation now, but we are at the Mother of All Tipping Points. That is to say that the president’s support has eroded substantially and despite some isolated successes the surge isn’t doing the trick.

The apparent indifference to Al-Taei notwithstanding, I have written that Americans do not abide hostage takings, whether Iran in 1979, Lebanon in the 1980s or Iraq in 2007. Neither does the military, so the stakes are especially high.

]]> By: Rudi http://themoderatevoice.com/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/comment-page-1/#comment-81585 Rudi Mon, 21 May 2007 16:19:57 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/#comment-81585 Shaun We levelled Fallujah over the multilation of four bodies, I wonder how much of this is for PR. Shaun We levelled Fallujah over the multilation of four bodies, I wonder how much of this is for PR.

]]> By: Shaun Mullen http://themoderatevoice.com/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/comment-page-1/#comment-81577 Shaun Mullen Mon, 21 May 2007 15:53:38 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/#comment-81577 I thought you were talking about the Iraqi translator who was killed in the ambush. Sorry. No further word on Al-Taei in a long time. It is my <em>supposition</em> that he was kidnapped by people more interested in a ransom than in making political hay, but be that as it may it sends a conflicting message that there are 6,000 troops beating the bush for three hostages (two whites, one Latino) while there never was much of an effort to find Al-Taei, an Iraqi by birth. I thought you were talking about the Iraqi translator who was killed in the ambush. Sorry.

No further word on Al-Taei in a long time. It is my supposition that he was kidnapped by people more interested in a ransom than in making political hay, but be that as it may it sends a conflicting message that there are 6,000 troops beating the bush for three hostages (two whites, one Latino) while there never was much of an effort to find Al-Taei, an Iraqi by birth.

]]> By: Rudi http://themoderatevoice.com/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/comment-page-1/#comment-81575 Rudi Mon, 21 May 2007 15:26:20 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/12953/triangle-of-death-hostage-search-day-9/#comment-81575 Shaun - In the last couple of days I brought up Ahmed Qusai al-Taei. You mistakenly responded that he was killed in the recent ambush. Ahmed Qusau al-Taei was captured last October and is still missing according to acounts of the recent ambush. Maliki shut down the checkpoints which hindered the search for the Iraqis-American. Shaun – In the last couple of days I brought up Ahmed Qusai al-Taei. You mistakenly responded that he was killed in the recent ambush. Ahmed Qusau al-Taei was captured last October and is still missing according to acounts of the recent ambush. Maliki shut down the checkpoints which hindered the search for the Iraqis-American.

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