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Should he have been rescued

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anotheoldgit | 10:07 Thu 10th Sep 2009 | News
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6166069/Stephen-Farrell-blames-himself-for-interpreters-death-in-Afghanistan.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1212144/UK-commando-killed-Taliban-pre-dawn-raid-rescue-kidnapped-British-journalist-Stephen-Farrell.html

This journalist blames himself for the interpreter's death in Afghanistan.

What about the British soldier and the Afghan woman that were also killed.

This individual had already been warned three times not to go into the area into which he went.

He was only there to slag the western forces for an alleged air strike on civilians, I only hope he now realises how his so called friends, treats even those that try to stand up for them.

He did not deserve to be rescued.
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I wonder if he is being remorseful or is it just PR noise so that he can write a book and say how brave he was?

Fleet street journalists are very odd people, its a cultural thing.
By slag western forces do you mean provide an alternative viewpoint to the one the MOD
and the government want to present?

If so that's a pretty important function - unless you just want to take the
government's and the military's word on things.

Many of the greatest images of war came from men like Robert Capa who weren't afraid to
go where they shouldn't and many died doing so.

Should he have been rescued? By doing so it sends a message that the Taliban cannot rely on kidnapping our people with impunity.

Had you been in charge and not rescued him what message would you be sending the Taliban?
But perhaps he/his employer should be sent a bill!
Journalists serve a very important function in reporting wars. We should not automatically believe our side or not beleieve the enemy's version. The truth is likely to be somewhere inbetween, and the role of the journalist is to be impartial and report honestly.

In this case, he went to the scene of the tanker explosions. Our side played up the number of Taliban killed and played down the number of civilians killed. It was important to establish exactly what happened and what was the truth. He was told not to go to the area, but their was a story to report and that is his job.

Journalists have to assess the risks they are taking. They do not always get it right, and many pay for their mistakes with their lives. In this particular case, a rescue mission was attempted and was successful but casualties were suffered. As has been pointed out many times, this is a war and people get killed in wars.
AOG: you seem to have moved onto another question without so much as a courteous response to your previous. This question - http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question806876.html

You must have a short memory, as I suggested earlier that it really isn't very good form, and even helped you by suggesting a 'model' by which you could operate. It's here, just to refresh your memory.
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question803801.html

It's just that it might not look too good when the next issue of 'Completely Anal Statistics' goes into print sometime soon.
buildersmate

You must know by now that AOG doesn't really ask questions hoping for replies, it is an excuse to express his opinion or just have a good rant.

This is a classic example in that the question is in the title, and then he answers himself on the last line of the post. No question mark in sight.
Did not take the advice to avoid the area.

Rescue mission planned and executed probably correctly.

Afghan woman and British soldier killed...collateral damage....happens all the time in war.

Should he blame himself....of course, but he will soon get over it.
They say the hostage solution was in its final stages. But I believe a ransom was asked for. As we don't give in to this type of demand it wouldn't have been settled anyway. Catch um by surprise and let them know hostage taking is not to be used in future.

We still give in to Somali pirates but this seems to be the odd one out.
Ah, Gromit! I think you've hit the nail on the head. Silly me for not realising that.
So it's a propaganda exercise, rather than a true question, designed to promote the left/right/centre/racialist/whatever leanings the individual happens to possess.
Wouldn't it therefore be so much better to organise a mass boycott of such individuals? (always assuming there is reasonable evidence that they exist on here - and who am I to be judging that)
By responding, the question-asker (nee propagandist) has the silent satisfaction of knowing that x people have at least read the drivel, and conjured up a cohesive answer.
We regulars know, and analysis from 'Anal Statistics Part1 and 2' confirms, that the response level is typically pretty low to such propaganda tactics (and what a great lady that Margaret Thatcher was to introduce us all to 'management through statistics' that enables us to confirm it).
buildersmate

AOGs threads are often become good debates as others join in. Disecting his rants is also quite rewarding, so I would hate to see them go.

I have a soft spot for him but you obviously do not. i find the idea of people ganging up and bullying him to be a distasteful suggestion and I for one will not be joining in.
Fair comment. Not a question of bullying - more of group encouragement to confirm to reasonable standards.
I accept that the debate initiated by others surrounding the issue raised by the question does seem often more entertaining (I do read a lot - not necessarily responding). But any plonker can 'stand 'em up' to allow others to bash it out amongst themselves.
Maybe I'll just have to be satisfied with the 'dissecting the rants'. Mmm, I feel another episode of Anal Statistics coming on.
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jake-the-peg

Whereas I partly agree with you, but it always seem to be the reporters who wish to get a story of the wrong doings of their own people, rather than stories that put the enemy in a bad light.

Had you been in charge and not rescued him what message would you be sending the Taliban?

Perhaps not to the Taliban in particular but to others, if you lie with the enemy then you must also be prepared to accept their decisions.

But perhaps he/his employer should be sent a bill!

What price can be put on the lives lost?
Question Author
buildersmate

When I want you to tell me the way I use Answer bank I will tell you, but I wouldn't hang around too long because that time will never come.

After one has entered a question on the News Topics, one does not need to make any further contribution, especially when one has already made their own feelings on the matter, quite clear.

Whereas on other Topics such as Technology where one is asking a direct question in the hope of getting a solution to a problem, then it is only good manners to let the repliers know if their answers has helped you, or even just to thank them for taking the time to reply.
Question Author
Gromit

Forever willing to hang a label around anyone's neck that approaches subjects that are alien to one's own beliefs.

This just about sums up you Gromit, and others like you that also tend to lean to the Left.

The one you are using now is the word "rants" to describe my posts, I would never class your contributions as rants, a little misguided perhaps but never rants.

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