New Math

I apologize to all the Math majors out there on my equation in the comment section of my previous post...I should have realized I was solving for "j" not $1M...so here's another try...

j= -$1m - 1d(agent) - x US(soldiers) - yi(Iraqi citizens)

So, in plain English, one communist, Italian journalist is worth... $1M (or more), one dead Italian agent, potentially dozens of killed or injured GIs, and dozens of killed or injured Iraqi citizens. Geez the US is so barbaric that they don't pay ransoms more often...how else are the insurgents going to remain employed. There is no justification possible for this trade off. How self centered could you be not to see this. When subsequent journalists are captured there will be no boo-hooing form me. They get what they deserve.

In fact, I expect to see a rash of captured journalists...why not, the insurgentnappers get money to keep going, and they get great press coverage when the hostage is released, and the US gets slammed in the press...it is the tri-fecta for them.

In the end, the damage done by that $1M ransom can probably never be truly calculated, but the trade for one journalist will never balance the equation in my mind. Our troops are going to pay the interest on that money with their lives and their limbs. A very proud day for journalism indeed.