Ex-hostages leap to Betancourt’s defence (re: US contractors' claims against her)

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Euronews

Ex-hostages leap to Betancourt’s defence
28/02 14:04 CET

Former hostages of the Colombian FARC guerillas have been defending the character of Ingrid Betancourt.

Three other captives – Americans Keith Stansell, Thomas Howes and Marc Gonsalves – have written a book containing claims that she was arrogant, she stole food, and put the authors’ lives in danger by telling the rebel guards that the authors were CIA agents.

But former hostage Orlando Beltran disagreed: “I can say that Ingrid Betancourt is a brave and aggressive woman. On several occasions she insulted the guerillas for behaviour she did not agree with. I have a lot of respect for Ingrid for being brave enough to try to escape from captivity four times. Did these American men ever think about trying to escape from the guerillas?”

And another freed captive, Sigifredo Lopez, said: “I’m sorry but I will not put down my copy of Borges or Shakespeare in order to read this book by the Americans.”

Read more: http://www.euronews.net/en/article/28/02/2009/ex-hostages-leap-to-betancour-defence/

[WhiteTara]

1. thanks for the post!

You always post the best news out of the south. I really appreciate your posts.
:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

2. So glad you read it. I was surprised to see it, myself.

I have a feeling those three may have rubbed lots of people the wrong way as they were very self-important. They probably couldn't believe Ingrid wouldn't want to prostrate herself at their feet, and chose to keep her own counsel. What a lot of people would see as intelligence, composure, maturity, they apparently saw as "snotty," for not licking their hands.

Don't forget she's a liberal, and very easily a likely choice to run against the Colombian nazi for the Presidency in the next election. I believe the 3 Americans probably had coaching on what to say about her, and when to say it, and that it's timed to demolish any aspirations she may have had, or they would have already spewed it out, and reveled in it earlier, like right after they were released.

It was really cool seeing people stood up for her. I have a feeling she is simply very typical of quiet, shy people, not likely to be a glad-hander, back-slapper, phony baloney, swaggering a-hole like the people the contractors identify with, and it hacked them off.

So glad you're watching these things, too. There's a terrific number of SANE DU'ers who are interested in the new rising South, for reasons different from those of the visitors from the Great Beyond.

http://newsday.image2.trb.com.nyud.net:8090/nynews/media/photo/2006-10/26004979.gif

[Robbien]

3. A preemptive political attack

I can buy that reasoning.

Criticizing a captive is idiotic. It says more about the Americans than it does about Betancourt.

[WhiteTara]

4. good reasoning

it would lessen her credibility. Swiftboating the world.

[Pavulon]

5. Or she may actually

have done what they said. Bit of a stretch to make it to a political attack. Just saying.

[inna]

6. some more info here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5814692.ece


i don't know very much about this matter, but i agree with this comment:
"Any educated person could read Betancourt's TIL DEATH DO US PART or read any pre-captivity or post-capativity interview with her, and you're likely to see the most humble, spiritually adept woman on the planet."


attacking the character of a fellow captive seems to be a strange move, anyway.

[rabs]

7. Saw the book ...

... at an airport bookstore yesterday. All four copies of it at foot level on the wall shelve. Price is $27 for hardcover.

So the trio is still trying to make money off Colombia's tragic circumstances. The book's cover describes them as "contractors" working in Colombia, when in reality they were just vulgar mercenaries out to make money. How many Colombians died as a result of their "work" will probably never be known.

To be fair, one of the trio says he developed a good relationship with Betancourt.

The other two come off a jealous jerks. They should watch the classic movie "Stalag 17" to learn that there is always a hierarchy in any POW camp.

Betancourt was running for president to try to pacify Colombia. Her kidnapping by the FARC (which she had criticized strongly) opened the door for Uribe to take over.

There was a comment in the Colombian media that said (about the criticism of Betancourt by the gringos), "They should stop spreading malicious gossip about Ingrid and instead explain to us Colombians what they were doing in this country in the first place."

The bookcover says they were working for the Lockheed Corp., which begs the question, who contracted Lockheed to do espionage work in Colombia?

[Pavulon]

8. The same people who set them free

pretty obvious that the Colombians did not run that operation. You have ZERO idea of the work they did. Nor do I, so unless you have cleared information you are just bullshitting.

They could have been doing signals work for the US intelligence community. How does that kill people?

[Pavulon]

9. DP

DP