So are these "hostages" or "Prisoners of War"??

[Ripsnort]

Combined with the Japanese people in captivity, who are these people? Hostages or Prisoners of War?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63744-2004Apr9.html

Apr 9, 10:08 AM (ET)

ABU GHRAIB, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi insurgents said they had seized four Italians and two Americans on the western outskirts of Baghdad on Friday.
A Reuters journalist saw two captive foreigners, said by the insurgents to be Italians, in a mosque in a village in the Abu Ghraib district. One was wounded in the shoulder. Both were weeping.

U.S. soldiers in a tank in the area near the village of al-Dhahab al-Abyad said they knew some Americans had been taken hostage, but had no details.

"That's why we are sealing off the road," said one soldier.

Insurgents told Reuters they had captured four Italians traveling in a four-wheel-drive vehicle with weapons in it. They said they had seized the Americans in a separate attack.

They took the journalist to a mosque, surrounded by about 40 fighters with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles, where they said all the hostages had been taken.

The two foreigners could be seen from a distance, but the fighters did not allow them to be filmed.

[lasersailor184]

Hostages.


If they had been captured doing something military related, they would be POWs.

[Eagler]

"freedom fighters" promise to burn them alive

time for the bulldozers

[gofaster]

If there was a war, they would be POW's.

There isn't a war going on, just a local insurgency.  Bush said so.

[Hortlund]

I think everyone understands the Israelis better now.

[Naso]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Combined with the Japanese people in captivity, who are these people? Hostages or Prisoners of War?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63744-2004Apr9.html

Your point is?

[lasersailor184]

Hostages.


If they had been captured doing something military related, they would be POWs.

Just making sure you see this Gofaster.


Any reporters taken are hostages.  But say that one reporter tries to help pull a wounded soldier out of the fire then is captured.  He's now a POW.

[Fishu]

Their intention is probably to use them as hostages.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Fishu
Their intention is probably to use them as hostages.

For a negotiation to what?

[gofaster]

Any reporters taken are hostages. But say that one reporter tries to help pull a wounded soldier out of the fire then is captured. He's now a POW.

They're hostages.  Doesn't matter if they were doing something military-related or not.  They could be soldiers and it still wouldn't matter.  A reporter pulling a soldier out of a fire fight doesn't matter.   There's no declaration of war, therefore, they can't be POW's.  They are hostages being held by criminals.  Nothing more.

[Fishu]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
For a negotiation to what?

You know...  'ameerkans, leave iraq', 'islamic US'... etc.
These hostages are dead unless rescued.

[Sixpence]

Are not alot of them humanitarian workers? That's what I thought I read anyway.

[Rafe35]

Originally posted by Eagler
"freedom fighters" promise to burn them alive

time for the bulldozers

If they burn them alive, probably Japanese seek revenge on those "Freedom Fighter" and cut their head off(Wonder if they do that today?).

[Estel]

Originally posted by GScholz
Hostages. The civilians are hostages by definition, and the military personnel are also hostages because their lives are being held ransom.

If they were captured with weapons - they are POW's. Anybody in the battle with weapon is a combatant. If he captured - he became a POW. Hostages are only civilian.

[Estel]

Originally posted by GScholz
Estel, you misunderstand. The military personnel should be treated as POWs, but they are not. They are being held hostage by the terrorists.

Sorry. But looks like you misunderstood. There is no terrorists. There are people who defend their country from straight aggression. Maybe your opinion is another, but this is how that people do understand the situation. And they captured some personell. That personell is now POW. What a problem? You want to think that there is no war but only counter-terrorist operation? It's your right. But you must understand, that there is another one opininon onto what there is happening. And it's very different from yours. It's just a fact. The opinion of Iraqis - army personnel captured - they are POW's. They really think that there is a war. And there there is a war. Really.