A Little Thanks is Due

Good news this morning from Iraq. Three of the kidnapped meambers of the Christian Peacemaker Team, who been kidnapped in November, were reportedly rescued by Coalition forces. This is according to a report by Reuters, here.

It is interesting that according to the CPT press release, that the captives were "released". This seems to portray the gracious gesture of the captors, rather than a military rescue effort by the Coalition. This is very odd.

Our hearts are filled with joy today as we heard that Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember have been safely released in Baghdad. Christian Peacemaker Teams rejoices with their families and friends at the expectation of their return to their loved ones and community. Together we have endured uncertainty, hope, fear, grief and now joy during the four months since they were abducted in Baghdad.

Indeed, it is a joyous day for the freedom for the three members of the CPT that had been held hostage for many months. Months of uncertainty, months of anguish for loved ones, months of prayer for their safety and eventual freedom.

I loved the post at the NRO Corner this morning, that the SPT press release could not even give the Coalition forces a "thank you" for the rescue before condemning them. Geez, you would think that a little thanks would be forthcoming. Even if it were not politically correct, nor supportive of one's position on the Iraq war, I think thanks would be an appropriate gesture. Even in conflict, shouldn't we remember gratitude? Isn't this a Christian virtue, or according to John Calvin, THE Christian virtue?

Even if the CPT teammates believed that the invasion and occupation of Iraq by Coalition forces is illegal, or immoral, or unspiritual, nevertheless, it seems to me that their higher calling is simple human decency. Gratitude for their rescue from captors who had already tortured and murdered one of their own seems to me to be an appropriate reaction.

Update: The above linked CPT website seems to have corrected the oversight and given thanks to those who participated in the rescue.