Terrorism Pays!!!

Man, am I in the wrong business or what.

It appears a group claiming to be an Al-Qaeda affiliated group has been kidnapping tourists and making big bucks when their home governments pay to set them free.

What ever happened to the old maxim of never giving in to terrorist demands?

Isn't stuff like this supposed to encourage the terrorists to be more brazen in the future?

Spanish hostages freed by al-Qaida-linked group

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – Two Spanish aid workers kidnapped almost nine months ago by an al-Qaida affiliate were freed Monday in Mali after a multi-million-dollar ransom was reportedly paid — a sign of the terrorist group's growing sophistication in bankrolling operations through kidnappings, experts said Monday.

It's not just Spain doing this, there is a whole laundry list of countries who have paid the terrorists to get their tourists back:

Since then they have abducted Austrian, Swiss, Italian, French and Canadian nationals. Experts say the majority were released after multimillion dollar ransoms were paid, money that is being reinvested to grow the group's footprint.

AP


They say the ransom money is reinvested into the organization's terror operations. Now they have even more money to go out and kidnap more people and buy bombs and guns and stuff.


Oh well, at least they didn't blow it all on booze and women right?

reply to post by FortAnthem


They are no different than the Mexican Cartels, and yet the Mexican Cartels are carefully taken out of the terrorist list because there would be a clash lol.

A clash between war on Terrorism and the war on drugs America has absolutely lost it, gone mental and insane and pursuing Nazi style government, the Mosque issue is the example..

Originally posted by oozyism
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

They are no different than the Mexican Cartels, and yet the Mexican Cartels are carefully taken out of the terrorist list because there would be a clash lol.

The difference between the terrorists and the drug cartels is that the cartels are just good ole' fashioned capitalists trying to ply their trade in the face of government oppression. They're kinda like our founding fathers in that way.

To my knowledge, the terrorists don't have much of a money drive behind what they do. Although this new kidnapping gig just might change that.


How will Fox news justify vilifying them when the terrorists turn into just another group of free market capitalists?

Seems the same as Somalian pirates.

It doesn't surprise me though, their Criminal Intentions Agency money must be on low supply.

There are allot of western mercenaries doing the exact same thing. Iraq and Afghanistan are the new wild west if you will, it's a gold rush!
There also kidnaping young girls from rural area's, pumping them full of drugs then pimping them out in the city's. Every man and his dog (or camel) is at it!

[edit on 23-8-2010 by danielhanson420]

reply to post by FortAnthem


Isn't this just normal hostage taking that goes on around the world ?

It even happens in places like Brazil, where family members of rich footballers get kidnapped, because they know that there is a good chance of a high ransom being paid.

It's only natural that Western, or European looking, tourists would be kidnapped, because their families, or indeed governments will be more likely to pay a higher ransom.

I don't see too much of a ''terrorist'' link, other than a supposed group's claim.





[edit on 23-8-2010 by Sherlock Holmes]

Me, I still can't believe that these countries are paying off the terrorists. When did it become OK for countries to wimp out and back down from the old "We don't negotiate with terrorists" stance?


Now the problem will only get worse.

Too bad they don't have the stones of Less Grossman from Tropic Thunder when it comes to dealing with terrorists:


Warning bad language: YouTube.com

As far as the cartels not being terrorist:
I don't know if you missed the beheading video that was posted briefly here yeserday...the one where the cartel guys made the hostage drown in his own blood while they sawed his head off...and then posted the video...
If that wasn't terrorist,
Somebody ought to buy an Arizona dictionary.
That was a message to America right there...
Very few Mexicans have the internet in comparison to Americans who mostly do.

[edit on 23-8-2010 by Danbones]

reply to post by FortAnthem


The US government does not and will not negotiate with
known terrorists, they only fund them to begin with! lol...

reply to post by FortAnthem


If you were kidnapped in some faraway country, wouldn't you appreciate a multi-million pound release deal agreed by your government ?

What do you suggest these governments should do, for example in the case of these Spanish people kidnapped in Burkina Faso ?

Should the Spanish government not pay the ransom, and leave their nationals to be potentially murdered ?


The governments have to pay the ransom demand and play it safe, to preserve their citizens' lives.

Originally posted by Danbones
As far as the cartels not being terrorist:
I don't know if you missed the beheading video that was posted briefly here yeserday...the one where the cartel guys made the hostage drown in his own blood while they sawed his head off...and then posted the video...
If that wasn't terrorist,
Somebody ought to buy an Arizona dictionary.
That was a message to America right there...
Very few Mexicans have the internet in comparison to Americans who mostly do.

Sorry, I forgot my [sarcasm] codes in the above post.

You're right, the cartels are more of threat than the terrorists ever have been. The so called "terrorists" need to reach out half way across the world in order to strike us.

The cartels are right next door and in many cases living in our own neighborhoods. They have no regard for human life and will stop at nothing to get their way. I wouldn't doubt that they kill more Americans per year than were killed in the 9-11 attacks.

So, of course, the current administration's solution is to abandon the border and give amnesty to all comers.

That fungus in the White House will be the death of us yet...


Oh, sorry, I meant to say lichen.




[edit on 8/23/10 by FortAnthem]

And then again, maybe some of the "victims" are actually in on it. That has happened before as well.

When hearing stories like this I always think of "The Ransom of Red Chief".
I would be like that; I'd be so much trouble to them they would have to pay someone to take me back.

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes

Originally posted by Sherlock Holmes

 

The governments have to pay the ransom demand and play it safe, to preserve their citizens' lives.

By paying the kidnappers, the government is ensuring that NONE of their people will ever be safe going into that region ever again. The kidnappers know that the governments will pay and you can be darn sure they will target citizens from known paying countries in the future. It's just good business.

If I were in their position, I would expect that my government not break with its principals and I would accept whatever my fate may be, while praying that they would send in a commando team to deal with the kidnappers properly.

Although, I wouldn't travel to some place where I'd be likely to be kidnapped in the 1st place.

Originally posted by FortAnthem
By paying the kidnappers, the government is ensuring that NONE of their people will ever be safe going into that region ever again. The kidnappers know that the governments will pay and you can be darn sure they will target citizens from known paying countries in the future. It's just good business.

That's the unfortunate price you have to pay for being the nice guys.

Originally posted by FortAnthem
Although, I wouldn't travel to some place where I'd be likely to be kidnapped in the 1st place.

But these people obviously feel a compunction to help less fortunate people in other countries.

The governments are right to bail these people out, because they are doing good work to try and even up life's inequalities.

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes




OK, I've stewed over this one long enough.


Don't you see that by paying the ransom for those people, you are enabling the terrorists to kidnap and kill even more people on a much wider scale?

Do you want your tax dollars going to support terrorism or even just common criminals? I sure as hell don't.

How would you feel if you were freed in one of these ransom deals and later found out that the money paid to your kidnappers was used to commit another 9-11 type attack?

Nobody's life is worth that.

But these people obviously feel a compunction to help less fortunate people in other countries.

Well good for them. They should know the dangers they are facing when they go into those hell holes. There's a name for those brave enough to face the dangers of hostile countries in order to help the natives and pay for their efforts with their lives.

They are called Martyrs and, IMHO, there is no higher honor than to be remembered by that title.

The governments are right to bail these people out, because they are doing good work to try and even up life's inequalities.

A lot of these charity groups are faith based, adding in the element of supporting religion by paying the ransom for getting the missionaries freed.

I'll be willing to bet that some folks who see nothing wrong with handing big bucks over to terrorists will raise the roof once they realise their tax money went to support religion.

Me, I think it's wrong to; they robbed those missionaries of the opportunity to bear the ultimate witness to their faith. As most Christians know, there is a special place reserved in heaven for those martyred for their faith.



[edit on 8/26/10 by FortAnthem]