Post Political Times

Hostage Freed – Celebrate? No, argue…

What a wonderfully complex set of folks we British can be. Norman Kember is freed from captivity in Iraq and one would expect there to be general rejoicing at this. But, no, instead the story turns into a row about who thanked whom for what.

I listened to a radio programme today where callers said Kember should have been left in captivity for being ungrateful or that he should be made to pay back the money spent on looking for him. Incredible.

This is the reverse of ‘never speak ill of the dead’. When someone is alive we can complain about them but it is not done to make negative comment when they are gone. With a hostage, we say nothing unpleasant about them while they are being held captive, but the recriminations fly within a few hours of them becoming free and safe again . A most unedifying spectacle.