Guest JAMES900 Report post Posted February 3, 2002 taken from cnn.com Police in Pakistan are holding two men Sunday in connection with making false claims about kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl as his friends and colleagues seek proof that the journalist is still alive. Pakistan's interior minister said the two men in custody are believed to be connected to several false e-mails sent to news organizations about Pearl's whereabouts. A third man, who was detained and then released, made a prank phone call to the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, demanding $2 million for Pearl's release, police said News organizations received an e-mail Friday from a group claiming Pearl had been killed and his body dumped in a graveyard. Police concluded the claim was false, and conflicting e-mails were sent again Saturday to news groups. so what do you think on this, I personally think he was stupid in being there in the first place. But I think he is still alive so what does everyone else think? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest theStranger Report post Posted February 3, 2002 Well the longer time goes by without any hard evidence that he's alive the more I think he's dead. I do want to say that he wasn't "stupid" for being in Pakistan. I can't claim to know why he took the job there but when you're an investigative journalist you have to be aware of the dangers. It takes a certain type of individual to go out in hotspots in the world and cover the events and I have respect for those journalists. I mean you wouldn't go around saying that CNN's very own Christiane Armanpour (sp?) is stupid for covering the conflicts in Iraq. Bosnia, Sarejevo and Afghanistan just to name a few. I consider her to be one of the best journalists in her field. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted February 3, 2002 The people who kidnapped him don't have much to gain, IMO. Don't know if the guy's alive, one would hope he is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JustJoe4Life Report post Posted February 4, 2002 It's true that they will hardly gain much form kidnapping him except distress for him and his family and some people, I can't see the U.S. paying the ransom. Although he could still be alive, I don't think they'd hesitate to kill him, I doubt it would weigh on their conscience. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest admin Report post Posted February 5, 2002 I kinda though it was funny that they think the US will negociate with them for a reporter, reporters are like the last person on earth they would save since they are always trying to break every under-the-rug thing anyone in America does. Reporters i think have a bad rep. similar to lawyers. Just my 2 cents. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JAMES900 Report post Posted February 5, 2002 I still love what that line in the simpsons. Bart: ( To Linol hutz) When I grow up I want to be a lawyer jsut like you. Hutz: Good for you son if there one thing American needs it's more Lawyers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Frank Zappa Mask Report post Posted February 7, 2002 It's all a work by the media, and covert agents working in Pakistan and in the States, all being done to give you your entertainment that you are addicted to. Personally, I would only care if the nWo showed up... FRANK ZAPPA MASK: YOUR RESIDENT CONSPIRACY THEORIST Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted February 7, 2002 A few days ago ABC News reported Pearl as dead, and Reuters still said he's still alive. Which is it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DragonflyKid Report post Posted February 7, 2002 A body of what appeared to be a caucasian male was found in Pakistan a few days ago which a police chief there said was that of Daniel Pearl, later after those who knew Pearl viewed the body they determined it wasn't in fact him. As of now Pearl's whereabouts aren't known but the Pakistanis say they know who is behind it and are close to solving the case. I also found it funny that after the story broke that a body was found that some of the people interviewed where hoping it wasn't pearl and when it was confirmed that it wasn't Pearl it was hailed as being "great news". Some faceless guy lost his life yet it was still "great news" because it just happened not to be Pearl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Juvydriver Report post Posted February 8, 2002 I'm not sure what they were expecting to gain either. I think that this goes towards the fact that they think the U.S. is soft. Personally, I can't imagine that we would negotiate with them for the guy. You have to think that if you are a reporter and you go over there that this could happen. Juvy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted February 9, 2002 I can't see why we'd negotiate for him, either. After the stance the Administration took with the Taliban, for them to turn around and negotiate over a reporter would be very inconsistent. Personally, I think Pearl is alive, mainly because the group that kidnapped him is worried about how the US will retaliate. If he is in fact dead, I'd be concerned how this would affect US-Pakistani relations, which Presidents Bush and Musharraf have worked hard to maintain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Juvydriver Report post Posted February 9, 2002 I have been pleasantly surprised by the support that we have received from Pakistan. I didn't expect them to side with the Taliban, but I did expect them to sit on the fence (so to speak) on a lot of things given the fact that they are surrounded by a lot of people that do support the Taliban. Juvy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted February 10, 2002 "I have been pleasantly surprised by the support that we have received from Pakistan." I wasn't surprised by it at all, really. General Musarraf knows he could get a lot of international goodwill (not to mention money) by siding with the eventual victors. It wasn't a popular decision in Pakistan at first, and I suspect it still isn't. Be glad their president is a dictator, because a democratically-elected official doesn't make the same call. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MarvinisaLunatic Report post Posted February 10, 2002 Its probably a hoax set up by the government to try to get more enthusiasm behind the war effort which seems to be fading because its dragging on and on with no real tangible results ie Osama Bin Laden's head on a pole in the middle of New York City. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly Report post Posted February 10, 2002 Maybe they should send food to his family. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted February 11, 2002 "Its probably a hoax set up by the government to try to get more enthusiasm behind the war effort..." Puh-leez. Not that I think the government is above hoaxes and cover-ups, but doing one here is entirely unecessary. The public knows the war against terrorism will be long, with small signs of progress along the way as opposed to obvious major victories. Our leaders have the patience for it, and I think the people do, too. Besides, check Bush's approval rating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest THE SH0CKMASTER Report post Posted February 11, 2002 daniel pearl is cia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly Report post Posted February 11, 2002 The war on terrorism will NEVER end, just like the war on crime will NEVER end. However, I have a problem with the Patriot Act because it appears people are willing to sacrifice freedom for the feeling of security. I'm pretty sure everyone felt safe before 9/11, so why would they act blind to the fact that the Patriot Act is not going to end terrorism? If we keep heading down the path of the Patriot Act, what's next? Do we throw out the constitution? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted February 11, 2002 I agree, terrorism will never end. I do feel that if you can get rid of the major terrorism groups like Bin Laden's, it would make it kinda easy to watch out for these type of groups. Because you have to make sure another group isn't getting together, if somebody tries, go after them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest AaronMarco Report post Posted February 11, 2002 Sorry if my answers seem brief and hard to read. For the record, I plan on making this folder my primary hangout over here, since there's no mod for the folder as yet...I'm going to whiz through these, so I can catch up. Anyway, if they get bin Laden, it will go a long way towards ensuring he doesn't start up some more shit. If not, there's always that possibility looming over our heads. Labeling the whole thing "The War On Terrorism" seems a bit grand in scope. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vyce Report post Posted February 15, 2002 Obviously, I hope they find him alive, and he is returned safely to his family. Things don't look good, though. Personally? It kind of disgusts me that we're more concerned with how those animals in Guantanamo Bay are being treated than we are about Americans like Daniel Pearl who get caught, if you will, in the crossfire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DrTom Report post Posted February 15, 2002 "Labeling the whole thing "The War On Terrorism" seems a bit grand in scope." It is, Aaron, but it's necessary. In truth, war is something that occurs between countries, and (at least in our case) is officially declared. War, however, has a very strong connotation with people, and that makes it a useful rhetorical device. While Bush isn't technically correct to call our efforts "the war on terrorism," I won't fault him for using the word in that context. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest areacode212 Report post Posted February 22, 2002 Every news site is now reporting that Daniel Pearl has been killed, according to the State Department. Apparently, there was some kind of videotape that has been received by (Pakistani?) police showing his body. WSJ press conference at 5:15 EST. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted February 22, 2002 Damn, that's horrible news. The guy got killed for nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kkktookmybabyaway Report post Posted February 22, 2002 Think we'll see the video of him dead or getting killed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted February 22, 2002 I doubt it. The family probably wouldn't even want that footage released. Maybe still photos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
