Asking for Help from Every Connection Except… the Authorities Most Available (Bien sûr; ce sont les Ricains et leurs caniches, après tout)

According to counter-terror sources who spoke to DebkaFile, there is an interesting tale behind the month-and-a-half-long abduction of two French journalists in Iraq.

[Two French] panels were mandated to explore every channel and connection for securing the two journalists’ release with the exception of American officials in Washington or Baghdad and circles identified with the Iyad Allawi government.

Had they brought it off, [the “unofficial negotiators”] would have delivered to Chirac four impressive objectives in his dispute with Bush over Iraq…

(Merci to GPR et GS)