Jill Carroll

fog of war edit: Since I wrote the following, yesterday, more information has surfaced about the nature of Jill Carroll's captivity, including the possibility that she may have been forced to make a propaganda video as a condition of her release. I don't know what the truth is. I am glad she was released.

I kept this picture of Jill Carroll alive in my photo file until I could -- hopefully -- write this post of gratitude for her release.

I'm grateful she was released, seemingly intact and seeming to suffer only the emotional dissonance that an experience of that type would have to bring on.

But I will not extend effusive gratitude to the Iraqi militants who released her. I will only congratulate them on acting upon their better natures.

They acted like human beings in an environment that does not encourage it. And I extend to them my heartfelt wish that we -- Americans -- leave their homeland in the very near future.