In an early January posting on these pages I bemoaned the paucity of Canadian efforts to secure the release of our two kidnapped diplomats Robert Fowler and Louis Guay from the hands of, it is now believed, an Al Quaeda cell in Mali.
I was reminded this week of my comments back then when the American merchant ship's captain, Richard Phillips, was rescued by the U.S. Navy: That if Mr. Fowler and Mr. Guay were American, their military would move heaven and earth to obtain their freedom. (see "Bereaved, Bitter, Blue, Bellicose..." Jan. 5/09)
At that time, Ambassadors Fowler and Guay had been held captive for three weeks since their abduction in Niger on December 14th. They have now entered their 5th month of captivity for whatever unknown demands or ransom at the hands of the Al Quaeda In The Islamic Maghreb, a southern Algerian based terrorist cell which has spread to several parts of the African continent.
Vermont native Captain Richard Phillips' rescue from the hands of the Somali pirates who had seized him two weeks ago confirms my view that when (to be polite) you screw with Uncle Sam - Captain America will seriously screw back with you! There are as many as a dozen other cargo ships and their crews being held by these Somali pirates...but the world stands-up and takes notice if the victims are American citizens.
Moving into a 6th month of Fowler and Guay's captivity, seems to me proof somewhat positive that Canada's quiet diplomacy and the Canadian media's complicity in this endeavour are abject failures, to be kind...total bullshit to be truthful.
Throughout Captain Phillips' week long ordeal at the hands of his Somali captives, America's network news media swarmed over each development...including an interminable vigil at his family's doorstep in landlocked Vermont. Not so here in Canada where our timid media has obediently acquiesced to every official request to be quiet, stand down and mind your business.
Five months later, Ambassador Fowler and Ambassador Guay remain unheard from. The author of their misfortune, the United-Nations' Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon prattles about the world. Canada's weak efforts to free two of its citizens seem at an endless standstill.
At its very best: This is a shameful, unforgivable state of affairs. Pity the fools!
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