Our Hostages in Lebanon

Abourezk’s article is a thinly disguised opportunity to justify the actions of terrorists against Americans whose only crime is being an American.

Let me point out that the Lebanese hostage cases are radically different than the Nicholas Daniloff case. In Daniloff we knew who had him, in Lebanon we do not. We knew where Daniloff was; he had visitors in the KGB prison. We do not know anything concerning the whereabouts of the Lebanon cases.

In Daniloff we had complete options with which to bargain. In Lebanon the terrorists demand the release of fellow terrorists held, not by the United States, but by an Arab country that shows no inclination to comply.

Many of these terrorist groups are vying with each other for recognition in the Arab world via media attention. If peace ever comes with Israel, then these factions will probably be killing each other instead of Americans.

Hiding behind a facade of sympathy for the American hostages is cruel and dishonest. The best information being disseminated in the U.S. media is that these hostages are being held in the Bekka Valley of Lebanon. Syria’s Hafez Assad controls that valley. The callous hand-in-hand cooperation with these terrorist groups paints their hands with equal guilt.

LOUIS INNERARITY

Los Angeles