The French government has been resolute in its opposition to the US-led war in Iraq. It has been consistent in demanding a rapid and unambiguous handover of power to the Iraqi people and a withdrawal of foreign forces. It has no troops on the ground itself.
There has therefore been widespread shock in France that two French journalists covering the conflict have been seized by Iraqis. The supposition had been made certainly by most Frenchmen if not also by the unfortunate journalists themselves, that French media covering Iraq would not be targeted. Even when the two reporters were seized last week, there was a widespread expectation that once their identities had been confirmed the kidnappers would quickly release them. These were the same people who had taken hostage a distinguished Milan journalist and then murdered him when the Italian government refused to consider withdrawing its military contingent from Iraq.
On Sunday came the bombshell demand from the kidnappers that France rescind its ban on the wearing of headscarves in schools, which comes into force when students begin the new term this week. Yesterday the French government made it clear that the new law would not be revoked. It meanwhile prepared to send high-level diplomatic missions to Middle East capitals including Cairo in the hope of exerting any and every influence possible, however small, upon the kidnappers.
The Americans and British will no doubt take bitter pleasure in the shattering of French illusions about the esteem in which they are held in Iraq. There is however a wider message for the outside world in this latest hostage taking. As far as is known, every kidnapping thus far has led to demands related exclusively to Iraq. Here for the first time is a seizure, which has produced an ultimatum concerning an issue — headscarves in French schools — seemingly completely, unrelated to the Iraq conflict.
This may be a case of opportunism. Once they found that their two new victims were not from a country actively supporting Washington’s Iraqi policy, they could have let them go, perhaps with a message to the French people thanking them for their opposition to Bush’s aggressive Middle East diplomacy. Instead after some days, perhaps of debate, the headscarf demand is made.
This is being greeted as an extremely worrying development because it is seen to be threatening any country, which has nationals in Iraq, regardless of their home government’s political position.
The French must stick to their refusal to deal with the kidnappers for the lives of these unfortunate journalists. It is not simply that any compromise will encourage further kidnappings; there is a real danger here that this wicked scourge could spread beyond Iraq. Terrorists could target any national in any country where they would find secure hiding places and make any demand of any government. The mayhem and heartache that such a campaign would unleash would be appalling. The only way that kidnappers can be defeated is by refusing to give in to their ultimatums. France and every country must stand firm.
