Great, not only are we terror appeasers, we’re obsequious terror appeasers. From the Deputy Foreign Secretary: “In response to your request … the Philippines will withdraw its humanitarian forces as soon as possible …. I hope the statement that I read will touch the heart of this group …. We know that Islam is the religion of peace and mercy.”

“Touch the heart?”

“Peace and mercy?”

“Request?”

You know, though I consider it dishonorable, I might even understand sending home troops to save the life of a hostage, but what kind of wonderful noble motivation is this person trying to ascribe to these terrorists? It isn’t even acquiescence anymore; it’s grovelling. “Oh, don’t hurt us, we’ll do anything you want!”

There’s an up side to this, I suppose: (1) De la Cruz is (hopefully) free, maybe even alive! Now he can go back to his family. (2) The Philippines is back on the map, right up there beside her former colonizer.

More feedback via the Technorati cosmos for the wonderful news:

• When the going gets tough…
• Have a cookie.
• “We’ll do whatever you want, just don’t kill anyone.”
• Is this the first time that the government has given in to the hostages? (sic)
• That’s not encouraging…
• There are millions of Filipino workers in the Middle East. By agreeing to the terrorist demands Angelo de la Cruz may be safer. All the others are in danger.
• No wonder that terrorism continues to be an effective way to obtain your goals.