July 7, 2008Hostage rescue in Colombia took grave risksThere was much cheering over the weekend about a covert Colombian mission to rescue hostages from FARC guerillas. Colombians, with some help from American intelligence, set free more than a dozen people who had been held for years. Freeing prisoners from such a terrible group is something to celebrate, but there's a dark underside to how things went down in the jungle. The Colombian forces disguised themselves as humanitarian workers and journalists. Usually governments don't use such deception; they don't dress up as, say, the Red Cross because all sides usually agree that humanitarian groups benefit all sides and that the media needs access to share the story and shine light on what's really going on. Now, after Colombia, there will be gnawing doubt in the back of people's minds when they see such people trying to help a bad situation. NGOs and reporters will be at greater risk, will be less able to do their jobs and could be killed. I'm glad the hostages are free, but I'm not sure about the price. (In googling stories about the rescue, I stumbled across this commentary on this topic.) |
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Comments
[July 7, 2008 12:07 PM]
JoshHow could anyone think saving lives would be more important than one-sided journalists gaining access?
You don't have to go overseas to find secretive sinister organizations around which a dearth of prying curious, investigative reporters exists, though. The Obama campaign is right here in our backyard.
[July 7, 2008 3:14 PM]
Ed S.I appreciate the job that the Red Cross does, but anyone who believes they are safe in these situations because of their status/position is a fool.
There are no rules in "war". Some people tend to enjoy that illusion, but when life is on the line I don't really care that CNN isn't going to get the exclusive interview with the next guy in line to slit throats.
Note the door swings both ways. The former head of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance was killed by two men posing as journalists, IIRC.
[July 7, 2008 3:35 PM]
c. trejbalOf course it is dangerous for the Red Cross, other NGOs and journalists, Ed. That's part of what makes the work they do so commendable. The point is that this sort of deception makes their work even more dangerous.
And do you really want to model your behavior on terrorists?
[July 7, 2008 5:18 PM]
Ed S.I didn't say anything about modeling behavior. I simply noted that it wasn't confined to one group.
It only makes their work more dangerous because someone was naive enough to believe it wouldn't happen in the first place.
Don't think that FARC and similar orgs or hostile nations allow the Red Cross and NGOs in because of goodness in their heart or "gentleman's war conduct". It's political. It makes them look good. They use it.
It's great if Red Cross wants to go in and inspect or hand out goodies. It's great if journalists want to go in and see what's going on. But I see *much* better when someone goes in, takes care of business, and eliminates the need to send in the Red Cross to begin with.
[July 7, 2008 8:44 PM]
JohnLiberal organizations don't like the way this rescue went down because it exposes their close relationship with commie terrorist groups in South America and around the world.