The bombing of Iraq.

[astrologica]

Should the BBC be reporting on their News bulletins that Britain has bombed ISIS in Iraq, when Mr Alan Hennings is still being held and has been threatened with beheading? We saw that Parliament had agreed that we should be involved in the bombing, but surely they could have left it at that, without actually reporting the bombing missions. Mr Hennings family must be just living an unimaginable nightmare.

[tommy.irene]

Its only a matter of time before they send out the video of the beheading.  Does anythink that the BBC or Sky news or any other news should stop telling the news.. when 1000 are dieing every day by the ISIS.

[evoman3957]

It would be impossible to silence ALL the news agencies that are reporting the UK's involvement , Astro, the Guy was a Target the minute He chose to set foot in that part of the World. There are no good guys in the Eyes of I.S., if it can behead a Child from a different tribe; with no emotion, an "Infidel" ( to use their words ) is nothing.

[fallen-archie]

Really difficult Astro, I don't see what option we have. So far we have taken a measured approach to satisfy public opinion and the fact there are no easy answers. I feel for the guy and his family but you can help refugees without putting yourself at the degree of risk he did. For me the worst thing is that it is highly probable that judgement on his future will not be made by Iraqis or Syrians but by a small group of radicalised British citizens, That sticks in my throat.

[astrologica]

You have a point there Evoman.the BBC aren't the only news broadcasters to be reporting on this. But it seems so wrong when that poor man's life is hanging in the balance. I really hope it isn't just a matter of time before they execute him, but on previous form the outlook is not good. I just feel for his family.

[joe_bloggs*]

What it boils down to is governments being seen to be tough on terrorists,no negotiating with them etc,I don't know if anyone remembers the hostages who were held in an Algerian gas facility by al-qaeda,there were a few nationalities amongst them including a Geordie,it ended up the Algerian army going in gung ho and they just shot at anything that moved including hostages a lot of whom were killed,I,m sure the foreign office offered their assistance which would have involved sending in a team of SAS,but the Algerian government refused all offers of help,It was a very tragic outcome,and the families of those killed are still awaiting answers from the oil companies involved for not making certain the gas workers were adequately protected

[evoman3957]

I've always said the Meek will never inherit the Earth, because the strong will kill them all before they get the chance. The shame of it ALL, is that the World would actually be a better place if the "Meek" did inherit it. The battle between good and evil has never been Biblical, in My opinion, it's a battle for Mankind to fight and always has been. Good, by it's nature, shows compassion, understanding, tollerence and a myriad of other desirable characteristics. Evil, on the other hand, has no such constraints and that's what makes the Battle so much harder..............I hope his family find solace in knowing a "Good" Man will have given his life in that battle.

[merehazle]

Hello Astro. Well of course as most know we should not have been their in the first place.

When we are talking of what we should or should not do I always remember the late wonderful statesman Robin Cook.

If you Google 'Robin Cook's Resignations Speech' you will see what I mean.   (about 10 minutes). 

And had they acted on what he said what a different world this could still be. Yes, you can Google it anytime and see what I mean. Very touching he was ill at the time. Be aware of the massive ''praise'' response from a full house. And yet after his wonderful effort the disaster went ahead.

9/11, 7/7, Lee Rigby, hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraq people, young girls of fifteen, would not be going to an almost certain death ... and all the rest of it ... WAS FOR WHAT?!  And what the hell is the future? 

Now Tony Blair is telling us (what we knew) that air strikes alone wont destroy Isil.  It's for hell sure bombs and boots on the ground might destroy hundreds of thousands AGAIN!!!   

[upthecreekyetagain]

---

@astrologica wrote:
Should the BBC be reporting on their News bulletins that Britain has bombed ISIS in Iraq, when Mr Alan Hennings is still being held and has been threatened with beheading? We saw that Parliament had agreed that we should be involved in the bombing, but surely they could have left it at that, without actually reporting the bombing missions. Mr Hennings family must be just living an unimaginable nightmare.

---

I'm not sure of your reasoning on this Astro.

Are you suggesting the BBC shouldn't be reporting the bombing because you think it may make it more likely Mr Hennings is murdered or that doing so is increasing his family's distress?

Personally I can't see it doing either.

[astrologica]

My thinking is that it may just hasten the day when they will kill him. If they ever had one second of thought that they might let him go unharmed, then announcing that the British are bombing them would soon banish that thought. But, as Evoman said, they are probably getting similar news from other agencies. His family's distress will never end until he is allowed home, and somehow that looks increasingly unlikely.

[rose2008-2008]

Im really worried for this man,,i think its just a matter of time and they seem to love being cruel and keep people hanging on!!!. DISGUSTING and WICKED!. It makes me feel sick to think of the torment him and his family are going through!!. OMG its HORRIBLE!!!

[lambsy_uk]

---

@merehazle wrote:

Hello Astro. Well of course as most know we should not have been their in the first place.

When we are talking of what we should or should not do I always remember the late wonderful statesman Robin Cook.

If you Google 'Robin Cook's Resignations Speech' you will see what I mean.   (about 10 minutes). 

And had they acted on what he said what a different world this could still be. Yes, you can Google it anytime and see what I mean. Very touching he was ill at the time. Be aware of the massive ''praise'' response from a full house. And yet after his wonderful effort the disaster went ahead.

9/11, 7/7, Lee Rigby, hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraq people, young girls of fifteen, would not be going to an almost certain death ... and all the rest of it ... WAS FOR WHAT?!  And what the hell is the future? 

Now Tony Blair is telling us (what we knew) that air strikes alone wont destroy Isil.  It's for hell sure bombs and boots on the ground might destroy hundreds of thousands AGAIN!!!   

---

9/11 came before his resignation!

[astrologica]

Heartbreaking news this evening.....it seems that Mr Henning has been executed. So sad.....

[lhasa.two]

Yes astro, it is VERY sad but not surprising after last Friday's decision to send in the RAF.

I mentioned on here at the time that it would be his death sentence and that of the British journalist. I saw the earlier interview with his father in hospital where he said he would dearly love to see his son...

IMO I think there should be a blanket ban regarding hostages because we don't pay ransoms so there's no point in publising kidnapping as it won't make a blind bit of difference to the outcome. in fact it might even protect them as no publicity might just disincentivise these people. 

These people are computer/internet savvy and have their finger on the button on everything media, whether here Europe or the USA, so no point in giving them an ounce of publicity. Also stop reporting the actions of the RAF...

[cee-dee]

Well said, I agree with all of that.

They've been giving them what they crave, publicity and notoriety and it should stop forthwith.

[evoman3957]

This isn't about religion, or about God & the devil.........it's about good and evil and they come from within, although they may hide behind a religion; they are man made............as too will Armageddon be.

And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (KJV 6:8)

[cee-dee]

The end of Man will not come from "the sword" (or the modern equivalents). People have become obsessed with such things since the end of WW2, later resulting in "The Eve of Destruction".

The end of Man will come from bugs of one sort or another. There's billions of trillions and gazillions of them and they're all out to get us.

Look at Influenza, HIV, Ebola, West Nile Virus and the Hantaan River Virus to name a few.

However, you're right about the latest bunch of thugs from the Middle East, they're only interested in violence, killing and imposing their form of control on any people remaining in the region.

[rose2008-2008]

Sadness today for Alan Hemmings and his family!!. SICK to do this to people!!!. Alan and all the other people who endured this Gruesome end were HEROES!!!!!!!!!!!!. RIP 

[saasher2012]

As was said in the news this sick form of murder was being carried out before the air strikes, this horrific crime was inevitable unfortunately!.so don't give them the publicity to fuel their cause!!. RIP.

[cee-dee]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29489479

I think that was unreasonable and unjustified comment from his brother-in-law.

Just what did he think "The Government" could have done?

If you put yourself in harms way, it's to be expected that there's a strong possibility that harm will come to you and in some circumstances, if harm finds you, there's not a lot anyone can do to save you.