Allawi's Relatives Freed by Kidnappers

I am happy if this indeed took place. So many conflicting reports as to what is "really" going on over there. I feel like I am in some twilight zone. I hear things like...Oh, the stock market is doing really well what with the Victory in Fallujah, and I get very confused. Here is the link.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3758532

"Kidnappers have released two women relatives of Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, two pan-Arab satellite channels broadcast today.

But the Iraqi government said it had no knowledge of the release.

Allawi’s male cousin, Ghazi Allawi and his wife, the prime minister’s pregnant daughter-in-law were kidnapped by gunmen on November 9 in western Baghdad. A militant group, Ansar al-Jihad, claimed responsibility and threatened to behead them within 48 hours unless all detainees were released and the siege of Fallujah was lifted. The claim could not be authenticated.

Al-Jazeera TV, which is based in Qatar, quoted unidentified sources as saying the two women were freed in Baqouba, central Iraq.

Al-Arabiya, which is based in Dubai, reported that unidentified government officials had confirmed the women’s release."

I'm thinking they found the women as not very good prizes. Also, it makes them seem more Islamic when they practice respect for women and children.

You have to wonder if these relatives were targets of opportunity, or perhaps the cousin was very close to Allawi...

I saw Allawi on tv before the women were freed, he basically said "Oh, well--not gonna shake my resolve," making him look very macho, strongman-ish, and tough (these are highly desireable traits in leaders in that part of the world). He actually appeared rather UNCONCERNED. I think the release of the women was designed to sway local opionions re: the "decency" of the insurgents back to their favor. Allawi clearly won the first round by using a weecowboy technique ("Bring it on" plays better over there, oddly enough). The insurgents managed to draw even only by freeing the women.

We'll see what comes next if they cut off the cousin's head. That could backfire on them, though, especially if the guy is nice appearing and the women go on tv saying how wonderful he was as a husband, etc. It will dampen enthusiasm for the insurgency if you can trot out some sympathetic characters (with bonus points for a pregnant woman) to tell a tale of woe that the viewers can relate to.

You almost have to wonder if it was a setup of some sort, if it even is real...?

These maybe just people from Iraq who want this guy out of office. He is Bush's man.From what you read on the blogs out of Iraq their are two types running around with guns. Bush and Co. call any one who does not go with him as terrorist. Only the guy that blow up the building in Ok. seems to have lost that title.If you live in Iraq and want the US out are you a terrorist?

I knew they wouldn’t kill the old man and his wife, the Iraqi resistance has never crossed the line into killing women, children, or the elderly. They even let the Iraqi nat. guard and police go sometimes. I give the Iraqi resistance a lot of credit for keeping a degree of civility during the chaos. Reports also tell how freed hostages are often treated as guests while with the insurgents, I'm surprise by their hospitality towards the people they intend to kill. So far though, if you can prove that you don't work for the Americans then they seem to let you go.

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Any chance we can send President Bush there in exchange?