Aid group makes plea for Western hostages in Iraq

The director of an aid group appealed on Saturday to the abductors of four Western hostages held in Iraq to release them, saying they were working in the country to help free Iraqi prisoners. He made his comments one day after Iraqi insurgents holding the four threatened in a videotape to kill them unless Iraqi detainees held in prisons run by the Iraqi government and U.S. forces were released by Dec. 8.

"We are working on revealing the occupation's violence and acts. Those people (hostages) are believers who work against the occupation," Mayer told Al Jazeera.

"So we appeal for their release so they can continue their work on your behalf and on behalf of the Iraqi people."

Asked if he was worried about the hostages' lives, Mayer said: "We are worried about the lives of these people. But we know that thousands of Iraqis are held illegally by the U.S. forces in prisons that violate international law and in worse conditions than these four."

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/12/4/worldupdates/2005-12-04T025832Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_-226220-1&sec=Worldupdates

or protesting Bush. Perhaps their money and their energy would best be spent in their home country, joining with others, such as Sheehan, to stop this insane war.

I wish that their lives will be spared, but really, how much good can an organisation do in Iraq, where nothing is reported, over that good that can be done right here at home.

I think their direction needs to be changed. We need groups to protest George Bush and get rid of his evil government. Until he is removed, nothing will change in Iraq. Until we get out of Iraq, nothing will change there either, in spite of what Christian groups with hearts in the right place, may do.

Do you think it will make it more likely they will be spared?

I don't believe they will be spared, because I don't believe they're being held by insurgents. My guess is that they're being held by someone who wants to make the insurgents into international pariahs.

I hope I'm wrong.