Right On!

I was reading the Right Wing Nuthouse blog about “They Really Don’t Have a Clue” - a good piece in itself - when I came across comments made by “Scrapiron” about the German archeologist, Susanne Osthoff. Scrapiron noted that some of the ransom money that was paid for her release was found on her! I took a few minutes to look for any news article about this and found a Reuter’s online post alleging just that. In addition, I found two other articles by Times Online and UPI that add to the story about this woman: 1) She apparently is a spy stringer for the BND (UPI story); and 2) she wants to go back into Iraq, AND bring her 12-year-old daughter in with her (Times)! Either this woman is extremely stupid (and lucky, therefore to still be alive), or she is smart, brazen, and likely addicted to adrenalin. I can’t for the life of me understand what her 12-year-old daughter would be doing in Iraq, other than being bait for another kidnapping/ransom (how much money does Ms. Osthoff need?).

From the Times article:

“I would have little sympathy if Frau Osthoff puts herself again in danger considering the intensive efforts made by many people to secure her release,” said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, who headed a team that negotiated her release.

Other foreign policy experts were less diplomatic. “A self-willed woman!” exploded Hans-Ulrich Klose, the deputy leader of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Even the German government is starting to get worried about how this all looks. In the Times story, they indicate they are witholding any funding for her activities:

It [the German government] has now blocked all funding for her project and has told her that she should leave the region immediately. She is believed currently to be in Jordan, with her 12-year-old daughter, preparing to return.

There’s a lot about this that smells odd:

The driver appears to have been working with the kidnappers and has since disappeared. British Special Forces in Iraq offered their assistance to Germany — which has no troops on the ground — but the Germans declined.

Eventually the kidnappers made contact. One of the middle men, according to German media reports, may have actually been one of the hostage takers. He has dropped out of sight.

And I don’t believe any of this “Ransom of Red Chief” stuff:

Frau Osthoff was unharmed and, according to security sources quoted in Der Spiegel, the sharp-tongued archaeologist made full use of her Arabic fluency to reprimand the kidnappers. It appears they were relieved to see her go.