We hope and trust in the power of divine grace: That continued prayer - and political and diplomatic efforts somehow moved by this profound mental and spiritual force - will help eradicate the whole plague of kidnapping and terrorism, of violent action and reaction. The people of a region known as "the cradle of civilization" have rights beyond the human and political to enjoy the blessings of a civil and calm society.
We're deeply thankful for the monumental labors that went on in agencies and offices of the United States government, within the government of Iraq, and among individuals in Iraq and worldwide. To everyone who offered private and published messages of support along the way, you have our heartfelt thanks.
Letters to the Editor I'm an Iraqi American living in Dubai. Hearing about Jill Carroll's story brought tears to my eyes knowing what horror she was living in Iraq and seeing the video sent out from her captors. I can't tell you how happy I am today to see her free! You go, girl! Believe me, your heart would make any inhumane thought become humane. God bless you for your family and friends. You are one amazing person. You have truly touched the hearts of everyone around the world. My regards to your mom especially; God has truly answered her prayers today. Zaina Streeter Dubai, United Arab Emirates What it took from the hearts of many people to free Jill Carroll (excerpt)It takes courage to stand for freedom - for freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and for lives free from oppression and violence. Certainly, it took courage for Jill herself to hold out hope during captivity.
It took strength for her parents to calmly and resolutely demand her release in countless television interviews, not knowing when, or if, their pleas would reach Jill's captors or pay off.
And in a region which seems to drink in violence like mother's milk, it took courage for Muslim clerics to go against the grain of radical Islamist thinking and publicly and consistently denounce hostage taking and killing as a means to an end. Where does this courage come from? It can only result from a faith in freedom's enduring value as a God-given right, an ever-present condition that liberates individuals and societies, allowing them to walk on the path toward limitless possibilities. This is what makes hope more than just an empty gesture.
The wonderful thing about freedom is that the more people experience it, the more committed they become to it. And that is why hope for other hostages in Iraq and elsewhere is not in vain.
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