The Freed Hostages.

Here's another part, I understand that when we arrived for the rescue, the kidnappers were gone, either having been alerted by the arrest of their co-conspirator or having a local look out network that alerted them. Either way, they skiddadled and it must have been on really short notice since they did not kill the hostages. In either case, it was completed through the hard work of the intelligence program. And, in regards to the "single point" reference and whether this is propaganda or not... First, this is not the first case of this type. The Australian Douglas Wood was "released/rescued" in a similar manner and so were a number of other hostages whose names escape me. This is not about an intelligence program that has "finally" gotten off the ground. It is about one that has already been working. Obviously, a problem that has plagued this war and every effort within it since the moment the planes struck the towers, continues to plague even the overt successes with mealy mouthed nitwits insisting that any announcement of success is "propaganda". What is that problem? The bizarre expectation of 100% success rate and the concept that absence of such omnipotent capability indicates complete and utter failure of whatever individual endeavor or over all war effort. It's bizarre in it's idea that the US or it's allies, being a super power, should be able to accomplish every effort with minimal force, expense and loss of blood. This is the problem that plagues Iraqis themselves and why they have fell into this quasi civil war with individual players coming and going between legitimate government and power mongering "insurgents". They had overweening expectations. Or, as previously discussed, the "the man on the moon" idealism: ie, we can put a man on the moon but not turn on electricity in one simple baghdad neighborhood. Of course, what is forgotten is that men being put on the moon is because many people had the same goal, worked 24/7, encountered obstacles but worked together to overcome them, knew what they were responsible for and did it with much self sacrifice and little whining. Of course, no one was threatening to blow up the rocket if their idea did not get used in building the rocket. Smarmy comments about "one point of reference" are about as useful as the "peace activists" thanking their killers for not killing them. On another point, there is certainly not enough credit being given for the search and rescue efforts. Imagine that, in the US, hundreds of thousands of people going missing every year including children AND adults. The success rate within a free and relatively secure nation by police and FBI using similar techniques is extremely low as well. The problem is in expectations and comparisons. What were these fellows comparing this to, to be so self satisfied in declaring the announcement "propaganda" and insufficient evidence of success? Who are they and what do they know? This is why our guys and girls over there are continuously disappointed in the coverage by the media and the commentary by such uneducated commenters about the progress or purpose of these efforts.