Who is Deputy Foreign Secretary Ralph Seguis, anyway? He’s all over Filipino and world news now for his obsequious statement to the terrorists, but as of now, a search for his name turns up only this: retraction of an erroneous Filipino fatality report in Kosovo, earlier this year, though as of March, he was “Acting” Foreign Sec, not “Deputy.” Looks like bungled media announcements are not new to this guy, though this older problem can be traced back to UN bungling as well. As can be expected.

(Ironically, I probably would have supported an early pullout were it not for the kidnapping. Iraq is handed over, rebuilding, and addressing its own security concerns; and the Philippines has need of its own humanitarian aid as well. Now, however, an early pullout means bowing to terrorist demands, giving them a platform and emboldening them to more kidnappings and bombings. I’ll let DJB tell the rest, though that entry dates back to just before the government caved.)