The Compassion of Islam: Taliban kill sick S. Korean hostage

One of the South Koreans held hostage by the Taliban was found dead, in central Afghanistan, with 10 bullet wounds to his head, stomach and chest.

Per A.P. News :

The Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, said earlier that the hostage was killed because Afghan authorities hadn't met their demands to release other militants from prison. A police official who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation said militants told him the hostage was sick and couldn't walk and was therefore shot.

So, like a wounded animal, an innocent civilian, there to help the people of Afghanistan, was "put down"- killed, without dignity or respect for the sanctity of human life, as if he was some rabid, mangy dog. Islamic apologists claim that Islam does not advocate violence against innocents, and yet it happens all the time.

They released a few of the other South Korean hostages, but there is some indication that it might have been as a result of a large ransom paid. An Afghani official

"involved in the negotiations said earlier a large ransom would be paid to free eight of the hostages. The official spoke on condition he not be identified citing the sensitivity of the matter, and no other officials would confirm the account. Foreign governments are suspected to have paid for the release of hostages in Afghanistan in the past but have either kept it quiet or denied it outright."

So, not only are they fanatical, religious zealots, they are also common, criminal thugs. If it's true they are collecting hefty ransoms, (which is more than likely true) the kidnappings continue to finance their militant activities. Kidnapping seems to have become a cottage industry, in that region. Apparently, 26 foreigners have been abducted in Afghanistan in the past week. A Danish journalist, of Afghani origin, was almost kidnapped recently, but managed to escape.

If these people had any honour, they would leave civilians alone, but it's their way of trying to force foreign governments (through the outcries of their people) to withdraw troops from that region. Do they realize what would happen if we removed all foreign personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq? And if we remove our troops, we should remove all AID workers, etc.! Who would build their dams? Who would help rebuild their country? Their infrastructure would crumble.

Maybe we should do that, and see what happens. Perhaps they would quickly change their tune. Though, I doubt it.