U.S Special Forces rescue 8 foreign aid workers accused of spreading Christianity...
November 14, 2001 8:32 PM   Subscribe

U.S Special Forces rescue 8 foreign aid workers accused of spreading Christianity... "Eight foreign aid workers detained by the Taliban on charges of spreading Christianity arrived in Islamabad on Thursday after their dramatic rescue from Afghanistan by U.S. special forces."
posted by terrapin (10 comments total)
 
Double post, about two threads under you, although it's hard to tell from the wording re "feel good story."
posted by raysmj at 8:36 PM on November 14, 2001


Sorry. Didn't see it.

Guess "feel good" is relative. I would have never even have read that thread based on the chosen words.

For others who didn't see it, here is the link.
posted by terrapin at 8:40 PM on November 14, 2001


Yes, it is good that these folks are free.

Yes, it is bad when religion is outlawed.

But, it was pretty damned arrogant for these folks to be "spreading the Word" of christianity in a predominantly muslim area. Just one of the bad things about christians (though they're not alone) - the conviction that everybody should share their beliefs. Oh sure, they weren't street-corner preaching, and they certainly weren't zealously violent about conversions (which is an historical anomaly for the faith), but the tactic of using a humanitarian project as a means to evangelize is demeaning.

Hearing the captives' church members calling the liberation an act of divine intervention just makes me sick. It promotes the impression that this IS christianity vs. islam.

If this isn't a religious war, then we should not opportunistically invoke gods.

But if people really do think that there is a god who is partisan, and "on our side," especially if our political and military leaders are stricken with this fervent irrationality, then the chances for an apocalyptic escalation of the current conflict are frighteningly high.
posted by yesster at 6:03 AM on November 15, 2001


I'm amused at how the articles express pride in U.S. forces:

' "This effort involved many people and several entities.
U.S. forces performed the extraction well and the American
people can be proud of them,'' Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in a statement.'

and here:

"they were lifted to freedom by U.S. helicopters that
swooped into a field in central Afghanistan."

Could we be any more melodramatic? :)

Wow - those tough special forces, 'swooped' down and picked the foreigners up from a field. They sure weren't doing much 'swooping' in Somalia...

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the aid workers got out safe and sound, it just seems like there's a desparate need to prove that US forces are tough. How hard is it to pick up some people in a helicopter when they're just standing in a field waiting to be... picked up? :) The release of the aid workers by the Taliban (that's what it was - a release, *not* a rescue) was:

"the result of 'non-confrontational'
negotiations between the Taliban and international agencies."

Go Rangers, go!
posted by omar at 9:24 AM on November 15, 2001


i'm glad they're being melodramatic. our PR efforts thus far have sucked. at least they're making a decent effort now.

i don't think they're trying to prove the U.S. special forces are tough. anyone with any familiarity with their training knows that. i also think rumsfeld was referring to the groundwork part of the extraction that involved U.S. special forces trying to bribe Taliban officials to release them - not exactly a riskless endeavor, and much more complicated than "swooping" a helicopter down in a clear field.
posted by lizs at 10:05 AM on November 15, 2001


Wow - those tough special forces, 'swooped' down and picked the foreigners up from a field. They sure weren't doing much 'swooping' in Somalia...

Wow - you sound almost like you're gloating, omar. Somalia was pretty funny, wasn't it? How happy were you when that helicopter went down in Pakistan, killing two of those damned arrogant rangers? I'll bet that made your day, didn't it?

How hard is it to pick up some people in a helicopter when they're just standing in a field waiting to be... picked up? :)

When's the last time you tried it?
posted by David Dark at 2:32 PM on November 15, 2001


David: ummm, there's a big difference between gloating and sarcasm. (Hint: I was engaging in the latter.)

I didn't realize my helicopter piloting abilities were a matter of public interest. :)

Helicopters are fairly tricky to operate, but I'm sure anyone who can fly a helicopter can go to a field, pick up some passengers, and depart. Doesn't sound like something I'd be terribly proud and puffed up about if I was a member of the armed forces and my big mission was to pick up some people from a field. :/

I'm sure it makes for great war stories though:
"Damn, Jake, remember back in 'ghanistan when we picked up those civvies the Talibs released? Man! When I swooped in there to get 'em, for a minute I wasn't sure I'd make it out."

(p.s. David: sarcasm. Again. ;)
posted by omar at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2001


Does anyone but me hear this story and immediately think, 'Good ole Shoe!'?
posted by jacobm at 6:10 PM on November 15, 2001


Wow - those tough special forces, 'swooped' down and picked the foreigners up from a field.

This remark qualifies as sarcasm. :)

They sure weren't doing much 'swooping' in Somalia...

This remark doesn't even resemble sarcasm, but strangely resembles gloating (i.e. taking pleasure in the misfortune of others). :o

(Hint: I was referring to the latter.) :*

Your helicopter piloting abilities are zero, which is why you're in no position to comment on how easy it is to fly into a warring territory to pick up hostages, even if they've been "released" by the extremist group who recently called on their God for the "extinction" of your country. Not exactly a people who's word you can count on. :D

But here's a "war story" you can tell your buddies:
"Damn, Abib, I was on MeFi, and I was trying to be all sarcastic, but I didn't know what it meant so I just sounded all stupid. Damn, for a minute there I thought I'd made a point. But I had a lot of fun making those funny faces with my keyboard!!" :P

(p.s. omar: sarcasm.) FYI. ;)
posted by David Dark at 6:57 PM on November 15, 2001


David: I have no difficulty in discerning sarcasm - thank you for the pointer, though.

I'm afraid you're mistaken about any 'gloating' - I was being sarcastic, and I stand by that. I don't gloat at human suffering - that's repugnant. Since there seems to be some confusion, here's a Merriam Webster definition of sarcasm that should clear it up for you:

sarcasm
1 : a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give pain
2 a : a mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual b : the use or language of sarcasm

Your reaction indicates that my comment was indeed painful, caustic, bitter, etc. need I go on...? I hope that clears it up for you David.

And I'll be sure to have my good buddy Ron check out your war story. :) I don't have a friend named (H)abib - not yet anyway. :)

posted by omar at 7:14 PM on November 15, 2001


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