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Length: 2:31
WOLF BLITZER: Let's get
more on the abduction of this American journalist.
We're joined for that from New York by Michael Ware,
he's Time magazine's Baghdad Bureau Chief. Michael,
thanks very much for joining us. First of all, do you
know Jill?
MICHAEL WARE, TIME BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, I do.
BLITZER: Tell us a little bit about her?
WARE: Well, she's a very dedicated journalist, very
warm, very generous, and passionately interested in
the plight of the Iraqi people. So what her family
and her publication is saying is true. The sad fact,
however, is that most likely will have little to no
bearing on her captors. Journalists have no blanket
of protection, immunity, or are seen as objective
bystanders in any way by the insurgents or the
criminals who are behind most of these kidnappings.
BLITZER: Here's the irony. She's very sympathetic to
the plight of the Iraqi people. She speaks Arabic,
she knows what she is reporting and you're saying
that doesn't make a difference?
WARE: No, not really. Journalists, really, as many
groups -- from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al-Qaeda
organization, to many of the nationalist insurgent
groups -- have said, are just in the way, they're
part of the problem not part of the solution,
essentially. The insurgents don't need the
journalists as a filter to the rest of the world or
as an outlet. They have the Internet, they have the
Arab satellite channels. We're just an impediment.
So, no, this will be no protection whatsoever, I'm
afraid.
BLITZER: There are lots of kidnappings going on all
the time in Iraq. Some are ideological, politically
oriented, but others are strictly there for the
ransom, for the money. How do we know which category
this might fit in.
WARE: Well, it's very hard to determine, as you can
imagine. I've been studying the early indicators so
far in Jill's case. Until this point, the most
disturbing element had been any absence of proof of
life or any statement of responsibility. We now have
that. That's a blessing, and Jill's family should
hold out hope. However, Jill now enters the
maelstrom. We've seen this situation before where a
demand has been made that the kidnappers know will
not be met. Indeed, we've heard in the past, the
American military say, "We hold no female prisoners."
So what we're coming down to now is one of two things
or a combination of both, which is money or political
maneuver. Unless we see either one, unless we see the
kidnappers reach out for this in a secret back
channel, then things could become very difficult and
complicated.
BLITZER: Well, we'll hope for the best. Michael Ware,
thanks very much for joining us. Michael Ware of Time
Magazine, our sister publication.