Ransom Payments

Here we go again...

Michelle Malkin has another account (this time in the Philippines) of governments paying ransoms to terrorists.  Last week it was the Italians...

This is madness. 

In the aftermath of 9/11 George W. Bush said we would go after the terrorists and the nations that harbor/support them.

If Americans are dying as a result of these ransoms...how should we view these ransom payments?  If they are paid with little resistance, worse, without our knowledge, are they considered aid to terrorists? 

Didn't the Philippine government pull their troops out of Iraq last time?  So who is left holding the bag?  Hmmm.

I am sure the State Department has a handy explanation.