Thursday, July 03, 2008

News In Brief (And The Usual Opinionated Commentary)

Here's how it went down, according to this BBC report.

For months it has been reported by Hugo Chavez that he was working hard to secure the release of these people. Notice how Chavez had nothing to do with any of this. Hard work and perseverance from Colombians and Americans got this job done.



It's the market, stupid.

With all of the buzz about the Fairness Doctrine, the reported $400 million deal that Rush Limbaugh just pulled down must really be rankling proponents of that bogus proposal. I do not listen to Rush, but great for him if someone is willing to pay that much to him. It shows he is generating some revenue, somewhere. Other than Ed Schultz's liberal show, none of the previous attempts could not generate the amount needed to ensure their longevity. So the liberals, in desperate moves to get their message, out must circumvent the market to force networks and stations to equalize things.

Put on a show that will generate listeners and they too can draw this kind of money.

7 comments:

Greg said...

Ya know, I would have preferred a little more diplomacy, instead of this unilateral cowboy-Rambo adventure. Couldn't a group hug with the FARC have accomplished the same thing?

More seriously, I wonder what BHO has to say about this. Remember that the terrorist FARC is among many whacko anti-American, fascist groups/individuals that support BHO. (I wonder why that is). Meanwhile, McCain, who likes Uribe and wants closer ties with Colombia, just happened to be in the country when this awesome operation went down. Please, John McCain, I beg you - please take this opportunity to show the difference in style of fighting terrorists between you and BHO. Talking and negotiating accomplished NOTHING in this case. What a stark contrast between what happened yesterday, and Israel's impending terrorist-for-corpses swap....

Anyway, thank you Colombia!

L'Amerloque said...

Hi LAS !

"Hard work and perseverance from Colombians and Americans got this job done."

One shouldn' forget the fat cash/check payment by the French, if the rumours this morning in Paris are to be believed.

Best,
L'Amerloque

Greg said...

Hey, l'Amerloque! I was just reading le Monde to see what is being said in France about this.

Did you read the editorial? It rightly gives credit to Uribe and his stategy, "often decried." However, it ends with:

Mais cette libération est aussi un succès de la mobilisation internationale tous azimuts qui, depuis six ans, a inlassablement entretenu "l'espoir vivant", selon les termes d'Ingrid Betancourt. Famille, comités de soutien, médias, gouvernements sud-américains ou européens, gouvernement français, de Jacques Chirac à Nicolas Sarkozy, chacun aura contribué à faire passer aux FARC un message simple, martelé mercredi soir par le président français : "Il faut qu'ils arrêtent ce combat absurde et moyenâgeux."

"But this liberation is also the success of an all-out international mobilization which, for 6 years, has doggedly supported "living hope," using Ingrid Bettancourt's words. Families, support groups, media, south american or european governments, french government from Jacques Chirac to Nicolas Serkozy, each contributed to passing a simple message to FARC, hammered through by the French president on Wednesday night: 'They have to stop this absurd, dark-ages battle.'"

Yeah, I'm sure the hostages are all thanking the EU and the media right now. Colombia is lumped in with "south American governments." No mention of FARC's asshat fascist supporter, Chavez. And notice America did nothing. Gotta love le Monde.

Anonymous said...

Maybe this will make you feel better

http://tinyurl.com/5egdsm

L'Amerloque said...

Hi !

In the past eight or nine months, the media have decided to lobtomize the French, in Amerloque's view. (With no internet due to health isues, Amerloque was by necessity forced to read and watch French-sourced media.) Either this was their decision, or they have been asked (ordered ?) to do so (one must recall that in France the media are aux ordres apparently far more than in other Western democracies). The news is simply not being reported fairly and accurately, when it is reported at all... The gov't is scared sh****ss that the suburbs will break into more violence ... and with the huge cuts in Army pesonnel and garrisons, there are deep and incessant rumblings in the armed services. Interesting times. (sigh)

Happy Fourth of July !


Best,
L'Amerloque

L'Amerloque said...

Hi !

Two "must read" articles about Paris in the WSJ, one yesterday, one today.

Why are they "must read" ? Because the authors missed what was important in Paris and, generally, France. (sigh) In addition, there are some major inconsistencies.

Whatta world. Looks like these Americans didn't find the American community at all, and simply preferred to criticize.

Best,
L'Amerloque

WSJ is by subscription. If no one is able to access these articles, Amerloque will post them over in his amerloque.doc blog. Please let Amerloque know !

L'A

LA Sunset said...

Whether reports about French involvement are true or not, the good news is that the hostages are now free. That was the easy part.

Treating the PTSD that is certain to occur is now the biggest challenge, as these people attempt to reintegrate themselves into a free society. This could take a lifetime.