Romanian journalists

[ovidiu]

Guys, did you heard about the story of the romanian journalists and his translators kidnaped in Iraq? The kidnapers say that if Romania will not take out from Iraq his troups they will kill this persons.
Let's pray that God (Allah) will made that this 4 persons will be released as soon as possible.

Ovi

[Merika]

I think there are 3 journalist involved in this.

Personally, I think journalists should stay home. ANY government policy shouldn't have to change based on them being where they shouldn't be in the first place. It's a WAR field....not a soccer game.

I'd rather have my head sawed off ...than my country give up any prinicipals for me. You give into terrorists....and the next time they demand something more. I wouldn't give into them....but that's just my opinion.

If the people in Iraq are willing to stand up to them for the right to freedom....then it's the least we can do to support them by not appeasing their enemy.

(I can move this into political discussions if anyone wants it there.)

[twinkle]

I'm shocked. I mean Romania? Please, we've got no ransom mone, no political power... those guys are dead meat.

They've also kidnapped 2 French journalist a year ago! And it's so impressive, they put two huge pictures of them in the middle of Paris, they're doing everything possible to prevent the public from forgetting them.

What are they doing back home?

This is crazy, it's a no man's land!

[ovidiu]

Now in France near the french journalist pictures they post also the romanian journalist pictures too. I saw on TV.
Anyway I think the same...poor them are dead meat.
Unfortunatly romanian are not good negociators. Who knows maybe one day the terrorist will free them...who knows anyway the ultimate was yesterday, the terrorist send another message saying that the deadline has moved another day, till today...but who knows the true...The romanian president say that they have ask more time from the terrorist.

Ovi

[Merika]

Wasn't there an incident in the late 1900's where Iraq had some Romanian jounalists as hostages?

[ovidiu]

Merika this is an actual thing...it happens right now, they have been kidnaped 1 month ago.
Here are some news releases:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...CAFBA176A8.htm
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/me....romanians.ap/


Ovi

[Merika]

I know it is current news..but I think something similar happened in the past where there were quite a few Romanian hostages involved.

I'll stay with my original post in that I don't think anyone should negotiate with terrorists regardless of where those terrorists are from or who they are representing. You will lose lives, no doubt, but it'll curb that hostage situation. Notice....no one is taking any US or UK jounalists or contractors anymore. WHY? Cause they won't play games with terrorists. I hope Romania takes the same stand.

[twinkle]

Everyone says that Berlusconi paid an incredible sum of money to get the Italian prisioners freed.

I've never thought such a thing could happen to us. I mean, how many Romanian solders are there, 200 :roll: ?? It's all about the attention...

[ovidiu]

I never though that such a thing will happen to us. Was a surprise, actually a bad surprise if we can say so. Romania in Iraq I understand has more that 500 soldiers.

Ovi

[Duke]

I have to agree with Merikas post earlier in the topic, why would you enter a warzone regardless of Country of Origin or for business? It's a warzone and not the levelest of playing fields. I think this is really a case of being burned for "entering at your own risk".

I know it sounds insensitive and I apologize for the above post, but c'mon, would you enter into the middle of a warzone?

[ovidiu]

Duke you are right, a war zone is a warzone and victims are victims, you cannot guarantee the safety of the people in that contry, especially when this journalists has been in an hotel in an unsafe zone.

Ovi

[Duke]

I hope it didn't sound as bad as it did, it was a really insensitive post, it just floors me though when people are suprised by these events? Stick your hand in boiling water, are you suprised when you get burned?

[twinkle]

You're right, but you're ignoring one thing: America is a country in war, heck, that's how Bush won the elections. This concept is extremily odd to us. We've never experienced that and last time we looked, nobody gave a damn if we were starving or dying.

Of course that if you take it logically, you're right.The thing is that crue was probably trying to make an honest buck, because in rality it never occured to them that they could be subject to such an event.

I mean look at who was kidnapped before: Americans, British, Italians, French - all more or less involved in this war. Romania? I mean really, who the heck knows where it is on the map?


That's why we were this astonished. Because it really does not make any sense. Of course, kidnapping people makes no sense in the first place, but I think you understand what I mean. There's not only a geographical distance, but a psychological one too between us and the rest of the world.

We were protected in a way by communism. If you see 4 black people in the street in another city than Bucharest - even Bucharest, they'll most likely get "the stare". We're 99% white, 97% Orthodox (2% Catholic), we are not AT ALL exposed to any of the things that in America or Canada are normal and natural. We'll be like "Wow, did you see that?" to something you won't even notice.


That's part of the reason why people are this shocked. Globalisation is working its way to us, but menthalities are very far from adapting to it.

[Duke]

They say, "war is hell" for a reason.

Look at Hiroshima, Vietnam, WW 2 carpet bombing, how many innocents died in these tragedies?

It doesn't matter what countries are at war, the fact is that you’re entering a country in a state of war. It's not the most logical step in the world regardless of your ethnic background or countries political stance on the war in general. No matter what, you're simply rolling the dice with your life.