Iraq: Rescuing UK hostages

The next few days will witness frantic efforts to secure the release of the 5 British kidnapped earlier this week from the Iraqi Finance Ministry. The implications of their snatch are more important than might at first appear -- even if they are swiftly released.

Coming in a week of terrible violence -- even by Iraqi standards -- they were the first non-Iraqis to be kidnapped from Iraqi official premises, previously considered relatively secure, and the fact that their kidnappers and/or the ministry staff who waved them through must have had inside knowledge and links to one or more of Iraq's security forces is equally disturbing.

At the same time, the number of mortar attacks on the only truly 'safe' place in Baghdad, the Green Zone, has been increasing recently. All this suggests that finding expatriate staff willing to serve in Iraq on any terms, and even in the 'safest' jobs, is going to get a lot harder -- which in turn suggests that the failing reconstruction effort will suffer further.