Ransom may have been paid

The war on terror may go on a long time. Europe is ready to appease.

The Kuwaiti paper, and later several Italian publications, reported that a ransom of as much as $1 million was paid to free the women. An Italian emissary, according to one news report, paid half the amount early in the week, ascertained that the women were safe, then paid the rest.

..."Let's hope our release will help comprehension between people, the peace process and the Iraqis," Torretta said from the building's white-marble balcony. "When we think about the suffering of our mothers, we also think about the suffering of Iraqi mothers who live in a country hit by war."

It doesn't bode well for our civilization when we give in to terrorists or somehow believe that negotiating with them is worth a try.

What's worse is if this kind of mentality takes hold in Europe we might as well write them off as lost. Who should be showing compassion here? This article seems to be accepting of the idea that Tony Blair is responsible for a British terror victims predicament.

The Arab television channel Al-Jazeera aired a chilling videotape of Bigley on Wednesday that showed him confined in a wire cage too small to stand in, begging for his life and complaining that his government and Prime Minister Tony Blair were not doing enough to save him.

Bigley, 62, was dressed in an orange prison-style jumpsuit and was crouched with his hands between his knees, shackled with chains that reached around his neck.

"Tony Blair, I am begging you for my life, I am begging you for my life," Bigley, sobbing, said in the tape. "Have some compassion, please."