Stockholm syndrome

Jill Carroll, a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, was released yesterday by her kidnappers after being held for 82 days after being abducted in Iraq.

In a statement, she said that "it's important people know that I was not harmed."

With all due respect, Jill, but thanks for not remembering the Iraqi translator that was killed during the course of your kidnapping. Stockholm syndrome, anyone?

**UPDATE**

ABC News has a transcript of an interview of Jill Carroll by her captors just before she was released. Here's an excerpt:

Voice: Do you have a message for Mr. Bush?

Carroll: (Laughs)Yeah, he needs to stop this war. He knows this war is wrong. He knows that it was illegal from the very beginning. He knows that it was built on a mountain of lies and I think he needs to finally admit that to the American people and make the troops go home and he doesn't care about his own people. He doesn't care about the people here in Iraq, he needs to wake up and the people of America need to wake up and tell that what he's done here is wrong and so hopefully this time he can get the message that this war was wrong and the continuing occupation is wrong adn he could change his policies. He's dangerous for Iraq. He's dangerous for America. He needs to accept that and admit that to people.

Voice: Do you think the Mujahedeen will win against the American Army?

Carroll: Oh definitely. Things are very clear to see even now they're already winning. Everyday there are soldiers killed. Everyday humvees are blown up. Helicopters are shot down from the skies. Everyday, it's very clear that the Mujahedeen have the skills and the ability and the desire and the good reasons to fight that'll make them ensure that they will win.

She has a lot to answer for. I hope that she will come out and say that she was saying these things under duress, and that would be completely believable.

**UPDATE II**

Jill Carroll has said that the above interview was made under duress. I'm glad that she has repudiated those words quickly. As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of that story.