...are the ones that make the biggest difference

9.01.2004

Hostage Children

I don't even know what to say about terrorists taking hundreds of children hostage. Let us hope the Russians don't undertake another innovative rescue operation like they did at that theater in Moscow. The narcotic gas they used to knock the hostage takers out ended up killing more people than the terrorists did, and it would certainly kill small children.

While I certainly agree that only a monster would put the life of a child on the line for political motives, it still remains that what these terrorists are after are entirely rational motives - the release of fellow "freedom fighters", maintaining instability in Chechnya which will hopefully drive the Russians out and, of course, to influence the Russian people. The question, of course, is will tactics like this work? I don't know. Like 9/11, it could rally the Russian people to their leader and strengthen their resolve. Then again, Russia is a very different country and both the history of and threat of continued violence could very well sap their resolve.

Right now, though, those hostages AND those terrorists need our prayers.

Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy
Lord have mercy

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a teacher I take my class through the drills: fire, evacuation, and lockdown, to name a few we're doing this year. The lockdown makes them nervously giggle about not being able to leave for the bathroom, and I reassure them it's just a drill, and that it doesn't matter that our skylights are stuck open because no one is going to be on our roof!
I'm thinking of all of them: the terrorists' motivation, the children's panic, and especially of the teachers who will be trying to be between the two groups, protecting their children.
Lord, help them all.
mcs

Anonymous said...

Nathan,

I appreciate you keeping your readers on top of community events. Maintaining a global perspective is an important part of our faith in these times.

sarah
www.portalministries.org