WAR: French Journalist Freed In Iraq

Florence Aubenas and her Iraqi interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi have been released. They were taken hostage on 5Th January this year. At the moment, there is no word as to who the hostage takers were.
The news paper that Florence Aubenas works for has said that she and her Iraqi interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi are both in good health.



These two people are very lucky. Its not often we hear of any hostages being released alive. We just tend to get reports of videos showing their execution.

The French Government has denied that it payed any ransom for their release. I wonder how true that is?
They are not going to admit to it after all the other nations refused to deal with the terrorists.
To me it makes no difference if a ransom was payed. If it was payed, then it ultimately saved their lives.

Related News Links:
www.sky.com
news.scotsman.com

[edit on 12-6-2005 by Bikereddie]

[edit on 12-6-2005 by Bikereddie]

The Italian's pay off so I imagine so did the French.

Hostage taking will become big business(if it hasn't already) in Iraq. Wonder if the French paid off in Euro's?

Roper

Hostage taking will become big business(if it hasn't already) in Iraq.

That's the way it is in Mexico too and a lot of other countries. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of hostage-taking in the Middle East isn't terrorism-related.

I would have thought that any hostage taking in Iraq would be terrorist related.

Look how many westerners have been held, then beheaded because the relevant Governments wouldn't pay up or bow down to their demands.

I'm laughing like hell here. I got 12 U2U's all saying the above story is not suitable for ATS.

Man! I don't understand the reason someone would think this story is not suitable for the forum. We have talked about some of the other kidnapings at length.

Some people's kids.

Roper

[edit on 12-6-2005 by Roper]

Well i suppose i asked for it Just got another 5 U2U's saying the same thing. Jeeeeeshhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Don't give in to the hype. Good news is hard to find, even if there was payola and the life of this journalist may cost the lives of others down the road.

Lots of complaints, because it had a happy ending? Or because there was no way to put an anti-Amercian spin on it? hmmm..

Originally posted by Bikereddie
Well i suppose i asked for it

Just got another 5 U2U's saying the same thing. Jeeeeeshhhhhhhhhhhhhh

No, it was more likely shot down by anti-French republican bigots. Heh, you asked for it.

I do not trust any Middle Eastern news originating from the French. I do not trust the French. I do not like the French. I do not depend on the French.
The area currently occupied by those considering themselves to be French would be far better utilized by a people exhibiting some sense of historical gratitude. I feel at this point in history we should allow the Germans and Japanese to annex those portions of Gallia they wish, if only because they seem to be more appreciative of what was accomplished by the US in the 1940s.
Boycott the French, their products, their art, their language.

I apologize for the illogic of all the above. But I truly hate the French.

Well I think the frenchies paid. Not the Iraqis though. I mean she safely made it past the US roadblocks didn't she?

Originally posted by Bikereddie
I'm laughing like hell here. I got 12 U2U's all saying the above story is not suitable for ATS.

Makes you really question the mind of some people. Have we lost all sense of values?

Originally posted by periwinkle blue
I do not trust any Middle Eastern news originating from the French. I do not trust the French. I do not like the French. I do not depend on the French.
The area currently occupied by those considering themselves to be French would be far better utilized by a people exhibiting some sense of historical gratitude. I feel at this point in history we should allow the Germans and Japanese to annex those portions of Gallia they wish, if only because they seem to be more appreciative of what was accomplished by the US in the 1940s.
Boycott the French, their products, their art, their language.

I apologize for the illogic of all the above. But I truly hate the French.

Mon dieu!!! C'est folle!

Anyway, nice to hear a happy ending to one of these situations for a change. I'm sure the ex-captives realise how lucky they they are.

Vive la France!

Originally posted by periwinkle blue But I truly hate the French.

Abhor
Am repulsed by
Extremely dislike
Despise
Detest

This is what it means to hate.

What happens to bring about such violent responses that would cause you to say you HATE a whole race of people? Please help me understand this?

Lady of the Lake.

I've no problem with your taking issue with my posting. You are entirely correct in pointing out the irrationality of 'blanket' statements such as mine. I'm perfectly comfortable with the substitution of any of your suggested words, so long as they are appropriately negative.

The French however are not a 'race'

To have gotten more specific in my diatribe would have necessitated access to a Paris phone directory. If my generality besmirches some, I offer apologies perhaps to the groundskeepers at the military cemeteries who dutifuly tend the graves of American boys forever resident under French soil.

Please continue to enjoy and comment on any and all postings. It is that for which we are here.

I´m surprised nobody has mentioned this yet, so I guess I have to. She was released because of Romanian officials´ initiative and with help from Romanian secret service agents. They also rescued three Romanian journalists at the end of May. They should be given credit for it...

Romanian secret agents helped free French hostage in Iraq: PM

Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu confirmed in an interview on French television that his country's secret services had worked to free kidnapped French journalist Florence Aubenas from Iraq

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin hailed the help of the "international community and in particular Romania and its officials".

Originally posted by periwinkle bluehe French however are not a 'race'.......I offer apologies perhaps to the groundskeepers at the military cemeteries who dutifuly tend the graves of American boys forever resident under French soil.

I stand corrected...point taken.

There are many thousands of people of all nationalities who lie under the soil of foreign countries. These are the bodies of people who lost their lives in causes and on behalf of other nationalities. In many instances they lost their lives as a result of being sold out by those they were seeking to help. We can’t however ‘hate’ everyone forever.

To forgive and seek to understand is in my view the essence of humanity.

So sad, the hate in the world...
Hateing a country for not backing death....ah well got to love double standards.

Florence Aubenas went to my school in belgium, its really strange when you have a connection between people in these situations.
There were numerous protests in Brussels and Paris about her kidnapping.