US contractor kidnapped in Iraq

[SillyGoose]

A US civilian contractor has been kidnapped in Iraq, the United States embassy in Baghdad has said.

The contractor, who was reportedly working on an reconstruction project, in the Baghdad area, was seized at around 1200 (0800 GMT) on Monday.

The abductors have so far not made contact with the embassy.

More than 150 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq in the past year, either by insurgents fighting foreign troops or by criminals seeking ransom.

more at link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4434825.stm

[bemildred]

1. The story seems a bit reticent about what the "contractor's" job was. nt

[SpiralHawk]

3. Do you suppose he could be one of the mercenary soldiers

the Bush government is paying billions of our tax dollars to, while doling out pennies to our regular men and women of the armed forces?

I think that is a major scandal. That Bush uses highly paid mercenary soldiers to enrich corporations, while practically starving our regular soldiers.

This -- and the widespread practice of torture -- must stop.

[bemildred]

4. That's what I was wondering.

I have a bit more sympathy with non-combat types that are just trying
to make a buck. Not a lot more, but a bit. We all get swept up and
trapped at times, and the folks toting the guns fall in a different
category from the worker bees.

[leesa]

2. No sympathy.

[MrModerate]

5. I'd hold off my vote of "no sympathy" until

We find out what this person was doing.

In fact, I'd probably hold off even then, considering what's happened to a lot of abductees.

Unless you think it's OK to execute the security guards working in Iraq, most of whom are former military trying to make in their 30s the money they didn't make in their 20s when they were serving their respective countries' military.

If this is a purely criminal kidnapping (as opposed to an "insurgent" one), maybe money will get the pure schmoe out with his/her head still attached.

[Moderator]

6. locking

Not Latest Breaking News, article dated 4/11/05.