Almost there...jonsimon wrote:
I'm not going to analyze the antagonists' motives because I do not know them. But treating the situation in anything but a fair and orderly manner according to protocol is going to exacerbate the problem.Pug wrote:
I agree with that...but wait...aren't they asking for the release of all US Arab prisoners?jonsimon wrote:
Arrest, trial, sentence. Just like it always has been. Why should this incident be any different?
If the group is doing the kidnapping to release all US Arab prisoners...won't there be a future reason for more killings?
Do you see the flaw?
If their motive is simply to release islamic prisoners, than they are being unreasonable and the problem cannot be alleviated, only tolerated.
If their motive is something more complex and rational, such as to release all innocent islamic prisoners or all islamic prisoners held without trial, then the solution is obviously to try all the prisoners in a fair and orderly manner.
The compromise depends on their true motive.
It's chicken and egg scenario in many ways. Two logic paths here:
US Capitulates
1) US releases all innocent parties.
2) Assume that they are satisfied. The extremists do not attempt to extend the definition of "innocent" to include what they believe to be "mysterious" circumstances...or they don't attempt to extend the definition to those who have followed "Allah's Call" - a just cause which doesn't break any law. But let's assume they are appeased.
3) Since they are appeased, they release the hostages.
Results (choose the more likely scenario):
1) They are happy and go back to a normal, non-violent lifestyle
2) They find another hostage...just like the countless other groups that see the demands are met.
No Negotiations
1) The extremists kill the journalists.
Results (choose as many as you wish):
1) No new groups spring up because no one has been martyred and no demands were met.
2) They are happy and go back to a normal, non-violent lifestyle, because they know they will not get anything from hostage negotiation.
3) They kidnap again.
4) They are killed, thereby creating more matyrs for the cause.
5) They are imprisoned, thereby creating another solidier of Allah wrongly imprisoned.
It's a win-win for the extremists. It's a lose-lose for anyone else, including the populance around these individuals.
You are being idealistic. It doesn't work the way you purport. There is no way to win.