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Three Hostages Freed [Update]
CPT has finally come to their senses (probably only because of pressure from almost everyone):
We have been so overwhelmed and overjoyed to have Jim, Harmeet and Norman freed, that we have not adequately thanked the people involved with freeing them, nor remembered those still in captivity. So we offer these paragraphs as the first of several addenda:
We are grateful to the soldiers who risked their lives to free Jim, Norman and Harmeet. As peacemakers who hold firm to our commitment to nonviolence, we are also deeply grateful that they fired no shots to free our colleagues. We are thankful to all the people who gave of themselves sacrificially to free Jim, Norman, Harmeet and Tom over the last four months, and those supporters who prayed and wept for our brothers in captivity, for their loved ones and for us, their co-workers.
Those three Christian missionaries were freed last night thanks to information from an insurgent captured just three hours prior to the rescue. No shots were fired during the hostage rescue. Here’s the AP story:
Carol Rose, co-director of the Christian Peacemaker Teams, speaks during a news conference and vigil in Chicago in this file photo from Jan. 28, 2006.
U.S. and British troops Thursday freed three Christian peace activists in rural Iraq without firing a shot, ending a four-month hostage drama in which an American among the group was shot to death and dumped on a Baghdad street.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, the U.S. military spokesman, said the hostages were being held by a “kidnapping cell,” and the operation to free the captives was based on information from a man captured by U.S. forces only three hours earlier.
No kidnappers were present when the troops broke into a house in western Baghdad. The captives’ hands were tied, Lynch said.
The Iraqi Interior Ministry said the captives were rescued northwest of Baghdad between the towns of Mishahda, 20 miles away from Baghdad, and the western suburb of Abu Ghraib, 12 miles away.
Read the rest of the story HERE.
Now my questions is this: Will Murtha, Clinton, and the other naysayers praise this military operation as a success? Or will they simply blame us for being there in the first place and say the whole thing was our fault? I’m interested in seeing where the credit goes for this.
The Christian Peacemakers Team won’t admit our part. As a matter of fact, they don’t even mention the fact that they were RESCUED. Instead their “hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad.”
Notice the word “released” in place of “rescued”. They would still be in danger of a beheading or other heinous death if not for US and British SOLDIERS!!
They took the opportunity to again bash the very people who secured their freedom.
“We believe that the illegal occupation of Iraq by Multinational Forces is the root cause of the insecurity which led to this kidnapping and so much pain and suffering in Iraq. The occupation must end,” read the press release.
You know, a part of me says we should have left them for dead, but that wouldn’t be very “Christian” of me. I thought that Christians were supposed to be humble and thankful for blessings, wherever they come from. Remember this: These hostages were NOT released. They were rescued. Good intelligence through interrogation is directly responsible for their RESCUE. It was a military operation. Not a diplomatic operation. Not a Code Pink operation. Not a CPT operation. It wasn’t even an Iraqi Army operation. WE did that.
I wish I could go to Walter Reed this Friday with a sign that read “Thank God For Soldiers For a Thankless Rescue of Protesters from Certain Death”
(19) Readers Comments
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Hilary
You say how Christians are supposed to be humble. Isn’t if funny what PRIDE can do to some people? They are too proud to admit what really happened. It’s almost a slap in the face to them, ya know? Anyway, we know the truth and they’ll continue as if this didn’t happen. I would like to know what the freed people have to say other than that they were released. I wonder if they even changed their minds about the whole thing or if they still sympathize or sympathize more with those who captured them.
Also, this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but thought I would throw it in here since this is your most recent post so far…
I got an email from Jan Johnson who is SPC Justin Johnson’s mom. SPC Johnson died only days after his friend, SPC Sheehan, died. Unlike SPC Sheehan’s mom, Jan still supports our troops, supports our president and supports what we are doing in Iraq. However, she has only been on a handful of news shows and hasn’t been spotlighted like Sheehag since she is still in favor of the president, troops and war.
She emailed me (I am sure the email was more intended for Paul since he served with JJ) and few other soldier’s who served with C-10 CAV and 1-82 FA (the field artillery platoon JJ was in was attached to my husband’s scout platoon about a month before heading to Iraq) to let them know that Hollywood called her and wants to make a movie about the book that is supposed to come out soon. This is what she said:
“Justin and Joe’s story hit a lot of different news media over the weekend. I think most all of you know there is a book being written, due out early fall, called ‘America Mourning’. It is the story of JJ and Casey Sheehan and how the families have gone in different directions. The main thing I want you all to know is that I have tried my best to make sure both of these guys stories are told as accurately as possible and that they were both good guys and served this country proudly. This is JJ’s and Casey’s story, not the Cindy or Jan and Joe story. What this is all leading up to is we received our first call yesterday from Hollywood.”
She went on and said how she hopes that Hollywood will make a movie (if it comes to that) accurately and how both of these men loved their countries and were proud to serve. She was asking these soldiers and my husband who worked with JJ to contact her if they wanted to be interviewed so they could let producers and others know more about JJ and how it was in Iraq. As she said, “I want this to be done right. That is one thing I have made sure our authors know…if this does go to movie…I don’t want a low budget, cheesy war movie shot…I want the guys lives to show what kind of guys they really were and what all of you went through. To me, you are all heroes and I want this film dedicated to all of the soldiers…”
I hope that she gets her wish. I am afraid that people talk to Sheehag to get her view of it, that it will be distorted and will have a negative swing to it. I emailed Jan back and I thanked her for still backing our troops and that her anger she felt after JJ’s death didn’t turn to hate. I am afraid that is what happened to Sheehag. That her anger consumed her so much that it turned to hate. When I hear her speak, and some of the things she says, you can feel the hate dripping from her mouth. It’s sad really. She doesn’t even realize she is disrespecting her son when she disrespects our soldiers!
Anyway, just thought I would pass this onto y’all.
Larry
These are NOT Christians and I wish people wouldn’t call them that.
I know that’s what they call themselves but they are not. They in no way represent the Christian ideal.
Hilary
I just received word again from Jan about Cindy’s part in the book:
“Cindy won’t even talk to the authors of the book but Pat has. So Cindy’s viewpoint will not override any of this….Jan”
I assume Pat is SPC Sheehan’s dad? Also, I hope that Sheehag doesn’t find out that their is a movie deal possibly and then decide she wants in on it! Maybe if the people in Hollywood are decent enough, they’ll continue dealing with Pat and not Sheehag.
11thacr
Been a bit busy lately to stop by one of my Favorite Blogs….(soldiersperspective)
I read ROFASIX, JB’s Sanctuary also…JB is my Cousin (SF)…and ROFASIX was in Nam the same time I was but on the other side of the Flightline so that makes him a close Friend…..And you my Friend I really enjoy your writing…The info is always Great ….I would have been Proud to Work along side such a Soldier……
…..11TH……
CJ
11th, I don’t drink, but I’d buy you a beer if we ever met. The sentiment is likewise. I’ll be your wingman any day.
Lornkanaga
Tom Fox was tortured and beaten. Were any of the “freed” tortured or beaten?
Just wondering how well they were treated in comparison to “American” Tom Fox.
CJ
Lornkanaga, I’m actually trying to contact someone from CPT to ask those very questions. No luck yet. The phones are either busy or not answered…or I have the wrong number.
Kathi
Tom Fox had a blog
http://waitinginthelight.blogspot.com/
which I found via Doc in the Box
http://docinthebox.blogspot.com/
I just felt reading Mr.Fox’s blog that he got so many things so sadly wrong. He attended a peacekeeping institute in our area, and so there has been lots of local coverage about him. Oddly enough, on 3/21/06 someone wrote a letter to the editor saying “The troops should be mentioned…”
The link is too long to post here to that letter(and I’m only half a geek:)CJ, I can email you the link if you want.
Anyway, the gist of the letter is copied here:
“Mr. Fox’s death is a tragedy. However, in all the reports I have seen or heard not one mention is made of thanking the brave members of the U.S. military and the Iraqi Forces who risked their lives to find and free him and his friends and who may have been wounded or even killed while trying to find and free him.
These brave men and women of the U.S. and Iraqi military are continuing to look for and free the remaining hostages. Some of them may be killed or wounded.
Is your piety so one sided that you have no care and concern for those who may disagree with your viewpoint, yet have risked and may have even given their lives to save the life of your friend?”
I believe the gentleman who wrote that letter got his answer today, with the news of the release of the hostages and CPT’s statement about that.
White Rose
Our soldiers do a thankless job in a world that is more concerned with what they get out of things then the overall picture. My hat is off to those that excuted this mission. I hope they know that there are some of us out here that are thankful that they do what they do!!
Donna
What a shame that those people weren’t thankful to our troops and the British troops who recused these people.
I’ll bet whether the victims say it or not that they were glad to see our troops when they found them and probably didn’t refuse to be released from their captivity.
It would be great if they came out and said so but don’t hold your breath waiting.
I say, God Bless our troops all over this world and thanks for the fine job that you do!!
Donna
I meant to say rescued!
James
Man, these people are PATHETIC and delusional… Where do they come from?! Argh!!!! God bless those who stick their necks out for those they’ve saved from being slit.
Lornkanaga
Kathi–thanks for posting the link to Tom Fox’s blog!
Kathi
Lornkanaga….You’re welcome.As I said, I got it from Doc in the Box, who got it from his dad.
AZWolf
Just to follow up, another statement made by the group ( http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/03/24/ap2620252.html ) modified the dialog to a little more active than just “released”. It’s been upgraded to an “intervention” in this article. They were also quick to mention the hostages “weren’t always bound” and were occasionally allowed to exercise. I suppose their next release will state it was more like a day spa, and how dare those mean soldiers come and close it down! Keep up the good work, and excuse me while I run off to puke!
CJ
Thanks for the link Wolf. Going to puke myself.
jane-marie wright
Everybody knows Christians are a bunch of hippocrites, that’s why I don’t go to church. We know it was the allied forces that saved those men. I know you don’t feel it, but you are doing a brilliant job. You make us proud everyday. God knows it too (when he can be bothered to look, God obviously likes a discontented sinner…Moses to name but one) I don’t know anyone in the armed forces…but there isn’t a day goes by when I don’t think about you all. As David Gray sings in his song…
Running through this life darling like a field of snow
…as the tracer glides in it’s graceful arc..
send a little prayer out to ya cross the falling dark.
Take care of yourselves! I mean it! You know you fight the hardest of wars…Bloody idiots strapping C4 to themselves. Be vigilent and be strong and courageous. I’m not sure whose side God’s on…You are there for the right reasons, and you have all accomplished so much already. X
Lauren
I also could puke.
Maybe we could bring them back there. After all it was so nice why did they leave in the first place…
dusgalan
Sheesh. If they had such a great time, then why don’t they just go back and stay there?
dusgalan of mt