June 27, 2004
AQ has a US Marine, threatens beheading
Al Jazeera ran video of two new hostages today; one a Pakistani civilian, who has been a driver for an American company in Iraq. The second, a blindfolded man in fatigues, and tenatively identified as a US Marine Corporal who was born in Pakistan, and was reported missing last week.
The U.S. military could not immediately confirm that a Marine had been abducted, but the video shown on the Al-Jazeera network showed a card identifying the man by a Pakistani name and as an "active duty" Marine. The man had a trimmed mustache and his eyes were covered with a white blindfold.Of course, the US won't acceed to threats like this; presumably neither will Pakistan.Al-Jazeera said the militants demanded the release of all Iraqis "in occupation jails" or the man would be killed. The group claimed it infiltrated a Marine outpost, lured the man outside and abducted him.
The U.S. military confirmed that a Marine named Wassef Ali Hassoun had been missing from his unit for nearly a week. It said it was unclear if he had been taken hostage, but Hassoun's name was on a Marine "active duty" identification card shown by militants in the videotape aired by the Al-Jazeera network.
Time to turn the Marines loose. Just take the chains off. Screw the PC hand-wringers...